Rising From the Ashes
by Yohina
Summary: Forced to study under Seto Kaiba, Delia didn’t want to love the arrogant CEO. Yet, as her life shatters, nothing is what it seems as a 3000-year-old curse resurfaces. This time, she must risk everything to win back Seto’s heart, or lose it all.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: New story up! I'm finally getting around to editing this story. I do plan on updating regularly, so no worries about me disappearing on you again. **

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Yu-Gi-Oh, but all the OCs and the story belong to me!**_

**Enjoy!**

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****Chapter One**

"Get up, Delia!"

A hard slap on her butt jolted her awake. Delia Yasune groaned. She stared groggily in the direction of the overly cheerful voice and met a pair of gray eyes that mirrored her own.

"What's the big idea, Hara?" she grumbled without any heat and rubbed her behind where her twin sister, Hara, had hit her. She glanced at the clock on her bed stand. "It's only eight-thirty."

"Get up, you sleepyhead! I'm going to school!"

"What? School?" Delia finally sat up and rubbed her eyes. Hara was standing there in a pink school jacket with a blue bow tied around her neck and a short blue skirt. Her wavy black hair was tied back in a ponytail, but several strands escaped and framed her pixie-like face. "Wow, is that the uniform?"

"Yes. What do you think?" Hara asked and twirled in a circle.

"Uh…" It was too early in the morning for her to think of anything special to say, so she picked the generic compliment, "It's cute…"

"Really? Thanks!" Hara absolutely beamed with delight. "Now get up. Mom is almost done with breakfast." So saying, Hara hopped out of the room.

"OK. I got it," Delia shouted after her twin and reluctantly got out of bed. Geez, why was Hara such a morning person? They might be twins, but they were such opposites.

Delia took a quick shower, blow-dried her hair, and headed over to her walk-in closet. Inside, she pulled on a pair of black baggy pants and a black tank-top with a skull in the front before going downstairs.

Both Hara and her mom were in the kitchen eating breakfast. Her mom said with a frown when she walked in, "You're not wearing that when the teacher comes today, Delia. What did I say about black clothes?"

"But Mom, I don't have anything other than black," Delia complained.

"Yes you do! What about those clothes I bought for you?"

"I uh…donated them before we moved?" Delia answered nervously and cringed when her mom bellowed, "You what?"

"I wasn't going to wear them!"

Hara just sat there watching them argue, eating her breakfast as usual. It was an unofficially decree in the family that whenever two family members argue, no one can butt in uninvited.

"You're going shopping this afternoon after your lessons. And if I see one black in those clothes, young lady, you're in big trouble. And don't think you can hide anything either, because I will check the receipt and both of your closets!" After a ten minute shouting match, her mom finally gave out the ultimatum.

"Yes, Mom," Delia mumbled unhappily and sank in the chair beside Hara.

"I told you not to throw them away," Hara whispered when their mom left to change for work.

"Oh, so now you're going with the 'I told you so' thing. Come on, you wouldn't even wear them! They're all pink with Hello Kitties on them! Give me a break! I'm eighteen, not eight!"

Hara giggled. She finished her cereal. "I have to go now. Behave yourself today."

"I envy you, Hara, at least you get to make new friends," Delia grumbled, making a face.

"Mom would let you go to a normal school too if you would just stay awake, stop skipping classes and stay out of trouble. As for friends, I'm not so sure about that. Remember, I'm not outgoing like you are."

"You'll do just fine, Hara." Delia's eyes suddenly glittered as an idea hit her. "Or we can switch." She winked at Hara.

"No way! Mom would kill us! Anyway, I have to go. See you later." Hara escaped before Delia could say another world. She knew that she would give in to Delia sooner or later because she was the kind of person who couldn't say "no" permanently. She had gotten into enough trouble before because of Delia and all of her absurd ideas.

Delia sighed and finished her breakfast. She watched TV while waiting for her teacher, Mr. Grant, to arrive. She glanced at the clock and realized that she had another hour before her lesson would start. Bored out of her mind, she decided that she should go explore town with what time she had. After all, they'd moved to Domino City more than a week ago and she still hadn't explored it yet. Back in her room, she tied her waist long hair into a ponytail, put on some makeup, and grabbed her credit cards.

She happily slid down the handrail of the stairs, an action that would give her parents a heart attack. In the garage, she grabbed the keys for the Mercedes convertible and hopped in the car. At first, she simply followed the GPS and drove around town, looking at the sights, until a statue of a large dragon caught her eyes. By this time, she had decided to forget about Mr. Grant for the day and just enjoy herself to the fullest.

The building behind the dragon statue had a large sign in the front stating: Kaiba Land. She watched as all sorts of kids and adults kept coming in and out of the building. Curious, she parked her car and went inside. As soon as she saw the dueling arenas, she smiled. She'd heard of duel monsters. Apparently it was the most popular game right now. Personally, she had never tried it before, but she figured that now was as good as any time to familiarize herself with the game.

She found a store that sold the cards and picked around with the shopkeeper's help until she thought she had enough. She then assembled her deck following the instruction booklet the shopkeeper had given her while eating lunch. Once she was finished, she remembered that she had to go shopping to get clothes.

She didn't get why her mom hated black clothes so much. Well, it may have something to do with the fact that Delia wore nothing but black, but that was her style and her mom should stay out of it. If her mom wasn't the one holding the purse, Delia would never listen.

It took Delia a good four hours to just get a few outfits. She was very picky about clothing. Afterwards, she returned home and prepared herself for a good scolding from her mom for skipping "school". She parked the car in the garage and grabbed her bags. Opening the door carefully, she scanned around the open area and didn't spot her mom. Smiling to herself, she slipped through and tip-toed toward the stairs when someone coughed behind her.

"Just where do you think you're going?"

_Damn!_

Delia turned slowly with a nervous smile only to see Hara standing there with a wide grin. Sighing with relief, she kept walking toward the stairs and said accusingly, "Don't scare me like that!"

Hara soon caught up with her. "I wouldn't have scared you if you didn't skip today."

"What? How'd you know about it?" Delia flung her stuff in her closet and sank down on her bed.

"Mr. Grant called. You're lucky I was the one who first heard the message and not Mom."

"You deleted it, right?" Delia asked hopefully.

"Yes, of course. But Delia, if you skip even when you're homeschooled, Mom and Dad are not going to let you return to a normal school."

"I know. I know. It won't happen again," Delia said contritely. Then she smiled. "So how was school?"

"Uh…It was great." The stupid grin was back on Hara's face.

"Come on! I want details! Details! I know it's great from that look on your face," Delia said with impatience.

Hara paled a little. "Do I really look that happy?" she asked, a little disturbed.

"Yes, now get on with it!"

"Well, I did make some friends, but guess what?"

"What?"

"I saw Duke there! You can't believe how surprised I was!"

"Duke?" Delia's eyes widened. "As in the Duke Devlin that left a year ago without so much as saying a good-bye to us?" Her voice had risen sharply by then.

"Yes, that Duke." Hara looked rather scared by Delia's sudden outburst.

Delia didn't mind her sister. She was definitely pissed off at Duke. The three of them had practically grown up together. She had considered Duke her best friend. Then, one day, without so much as a word to her, he moved. She hadn't heard from him for over a year. Now that she knew his whereabouts, he was sorely going to regret not contacting her for this long.

"What did he say?" she asked Hara with narrowed eyes.

"He didn't really talk to me. I think he's avoiding me."

"Of course he would. Just wait until I see him! I'm going to make him as miserable as I felt when he left without saying anything!" Delia vowed.

"And…" Hara blushed. Her anger suddenly forgotten, Delia looked at her twin with amusement and surprise. Hara was not the kind of girl to blush when talking about school, unless there was a guy involved. Now that was a different story.

"And…?" Delia asked when Hara didn't continue, brimming with curiosity.

"I met this guy," Hara said in a tiny whisper.

"Ah… A guy." She knew it! "Man, he must be good to have you blush like this on the first day of school."

"No! That's not it!" Hara was even more embarrassed. "Don't get me wrong. I don't like him or anything. He's a real jerk, but he's just really hot and smart." Hara's voice had turned dreamy by the end.

_Don't like him. Yeah right. _"Oh, a hot and smart jerk. What else is new? Last time I checked, the hot and smart jerk you dated broke your heart." Delia rolled her eyes.

Hara turned furious at the mention of her ex. "Delia, how could you say that? I'm never telling you anything again!" Hara stuck up her nose and looked away, which was the best she could do.

"I'm sorry, Hara. I didn't mean that. So, what's his name?"

Hara glared at her for a second before sighing. She really was too nice. She wasn't the kind of person that could stay angry at another person for too long, especially not Delia. "Seto Kaiba."

_Kaiba, why does that sound so familiar?_ Delia searched her brain for the answer, but none came. "So what does he look like?"

"Well, he's…"

"Delia!"

Their mom suddenly appeared outside of the room, cutting off whatever Hara was going to say. She was absolutely livid. Delia could only think of one reason. Guess their house wasn't the only place her teacher had called.

"Yes, Mom?" Delia gulped.

"How dare you skip on the first day? And you want me to send you back to a normal school? At this rate it'll never happen! You hear me? Never!" Mrs. Yasune roared. Delia literally recoiled in fear.

"I'm sorry! Mom, if you just let me go back to school like a normal kid, I won't fall asleep or cause any trouble anymore. I swear!"

Her mom regained her composure slowly and said in a clipped tone, "No, you haven't yet proven yourself to me yet. Now be a good kid and let Hara do her work. Tomorrow, if you skip again, you'll find yourself with another bodyguard. Also, as punishment, you're not allowed to leave the house tomorrow." Then she spun on her heels and left.

"A bodyguard," Delia repeated the words with horror, completely ignoring the part about her punishment. She definitely did not want any bodyguards, not after the last time.

Years ago, when she was younger, she was kidnapped once. After the kidnapping, her parents had hired bodyguards for her, who literally followed her everywhere, even to the restroom. She'd felt so stifled by them that she actually got sick. The doctor had told her parents that she was under too much stress, so her parents had disposed with the bodyguards. Yet, now, just the thought of having bodyguards still gave Delia nightmares. She decided that she'd definitely restrain herself tomorrow and stay home.

Since Hara was busy with her homework, Delia had no one to play with. Soon, she was bored out of her mind, which happened very easily these days. She watched some anime and decided to go to bed early, since she had nothing else to do anyway.

The next morning, when she woke up, Hara and her mom was already gone for the day. She ate breakfast and waited patiently for Mr. Grant to come, who arrived exactly at ten o'clock. She sat through four hours of torturous math, science, English, Japanese, and history. She literally screamed with once it was over and Mr. Grant left. At least now she no longer had to deal with the bodyguard problem.

As for her punishment, Delia really tried. She _did_. However, she just couldn't stay in the house. It was only two in the afternoon. What was she suppose to do with the rest of the day cooped up inside? In the end she told herself as long as her mom didn't find out, she wouldn't be in any trouble. Thus, she found another school uniform in Hara's closet and put it on. It was a bit tight, since she was a bit taller and more muscular than her twin, but it would have to do.

Delia followed her GPS and drove to Domino High all the while planning her revenge. _Duke Devlin, by the time I'm done with you, you'd wish you were never born. _

Her lips curved into an evil smile as she pulled up in the school parking lot twenty minutes later. She passed the front office with no problem. She remembered Hara telling her something about the second floor so she headed there. Then, she had no idea where to go. Fortunately, she caught sight of Duke just disappearing around another hallway so she followed him with quick strides. However, just as she turned right, she bumped into another student. She lost her balance and fell on her butt.

"Ouch! Watch it, will you?" She jumped up and snapped at the person. Now she'd lost sight of Duke as well, not to mention her butt really hurts.

She looked over the guy she had bumped into, who was now blocking her way. He had beautiful blue eyes. Sharp intelligence and annoyance now shone through them. He had short brown hair that somehow complemented his eyes. He was also unbelievably tall. She barely reached his shoulder. She sensed confidence and power radiating off of him in waves, which shouldn't have affected her any, since she'd spent her life surrounded by arrogant and powerful people, but it did. Something about this guy was different than the others circulating in her world.

At first, he looked rather stunned, though she had no idea why. Then he recollected himself and his expression returned to one of annoyance. He glared down at her and then at something else. She followed his gaze and saw that she was stepping on a cellphone. _Oh crap!_

"It's not my fault! You're the one who bumped into me!" Delia said before he could utter a word.

"Just get out of my way!" He practically pushed her away and stormed off. His other hand reached into his pocket and pulled out another cellphone. She glared after him as he dialed some number and started talking. She heard him say, "Mrs. Yasune? I'm sorry. I was cut off, but…"

_Mrs. Yasune? Mrs. Yasune? Why is this guy talking to my mom? _Delia mind whirled with the possibilities, each one more absurd than the other, but there really was no logical reason that he should be talking with her mom. He was a high school student, damn it! What would her mom want with this dude?

Without even thinking about the possibility that it could be another person with the same name, Delia snatched the phone away from the guy and asked him with hostility, "Who are you?"

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**A/N: Somewhat of a slow start, but I don't suppose you really need the answer to the question ^.^, so it's not really a cliffhanger. It will pick up in the next chapter. Oh yeah, and the rating might change or might not. I haven't decided yet.  
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**plz REVIEW!!**

**Till next time!  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Delia, is that you?" Her mom asked on the other side of the phone before the guy could answer. That was when the thought hit her that she was supposed to be home.

_Oops. _

The brown-haired boy lifted a brow at her with amusement. _Was he this handsome a second before?_ Delia quickly shook away the thought. "Oh hi, Mom, this is Hara?" she answered as conversationally as possible.

"Don't lie to me! Hara knows who Mr. Kaiba is." _Mr. Kaiba?_ The name rang a bell. Delia suddenly remembered what Hara told her last night. Now she knew what her twin meant by a hot jerk. "Why aren't you home?" The question brought her back to the present.

"Mom, I just want to meet my Duke. You know Duke. He actually goes here. Isn't that great?"

No answer.

Delia quickly continued on, "And I didn't skip. I waited until Mr. Grant left before coming here!"

Her mom sighed. "We'll talk about this later. Now please hand the phone back to Mr. Kaiba."

"Yes, Mom," Delia said and dutifully handed the phone back to Kaiba.

She didn't know if she should stay or leave as Kaiba talked on the phone with her mom. She decided that the safest course of action was to leave. After all, what was she supposed to do here after the phone conversation end? Apologize or something? Not bloody likely.

However, just as she started to walk away, Kaiba stopped talking. She assumed that their conversation was finished. It didn't really matter to her. That was, until he dragged her back by the collar like a dog.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" She shook him off and glowered at him.

"You're coming with me, Miss Yasune."

She narrowed her eyes at him and said, "First, it's Delia, not Miss Yasune." She hated when other people called her Miss Yasune. It made her feel so old. It also reminded her of all those people dressed in their conservative suits that hung out around her parents, with their hypocritical smiles and courtesy. "And I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Your mother, Mrs. Yasune, requested you to come to my company with me. She will be there to meet us," Kaiba said, spun on his heels, and strode toward the stairs.

"Are you doing business with my mom? But why are you in high school? And just what does Mom want?" Questions popped out of her mouth one by one before she could stop them. She followed Kaiba without thinking, hoping that he would answer her question. However, Kaiba didn't say a word and kept on walking.

Once they were outside, a black limo pulled up. When it stopped, a man dressed nicely in a black suit and tie held the passenger door open. Kaiba strolled toward it and stopped before going in.

"Ladies first," he said mockingly with a smirk.

"But what about my car?" Delia asked before being shoved into the limo. She had one moment to notice that the inside was very nice before Kaiba got in and sat down. The door shut behind him with a soft click. She scooted as far away from him as possible. "That wasn't necessary," she said, talking about when he pushed her in.

He simply looked at her in the same arrogant manner. She was starting to hate his eyes, which was really a pity, since he had beautiful eyes. They just shouldn't belong to someone like him. For once, he answered her, his voice deep and smooth, "I'm sure Mrs. Yasune will send somebody to retrieve it."

"No way! Nobody is driving my car!" she shouted at him even though she knew she couldn't get out of this situation. Somehow, she was sitting alone in this large limo with the hottest guy she'd met for a while other than her friends. Yet, all she could think about was getting as far away from him as possible. That just wasn't right. Why couldn't more hot guys be nicer, instead of being jerks?

"That is none of my concern," Kaiba said coldly. He took out his laptop from his briefcase and started to work on something and ignored her for the rest of the ride.

_Great, I'm stuck with another computer nerd!_ Delia thought as she crossed her arms. _A very hot computer nerd. _The thought came unbidden. She scowled and forced herself to stare at the window, though occasionally she stole some glances at Kaiba. Now she was certain her mom was doing business with Kaiba, since her mom's company specialized in manufacturing computer chips and software programs.

Thankfully, the ride was relatively short. Delia didn't think she'd be able to stay quiet any longer if Kaiba had continued to ignore her. She didn't even wait for the driver to open the door for them. As soon as they stopped at what she assumed to be their final destination, since the building had the sign "Kaiba Corp" on it, she opened the door herself and jumped out.

"You own an entire corporation?" she suddenly asked in amazement. Now she knew why Hara liked the guy. They would be perfect together, if only he was a little bit more approachable. Then something hit her. "Do you own Kaiba Land as well?"

"Yes to both questions. Anything more you'd like to ask?" he said in a bored tone.

She wanted to kick him. For some reason, this guy made her really violent, not that she was a pacifist or anything. She didn't say anything, but stuck her tongue out childishly at his back. She promised herself that she'd never go back to Kaiba Land again and throw away all her duel monster cards. While she was at it, maybe she should organize a boycott or something against Kaiba Corp. It wouldn't be possible, but it was worth a thought.

Everybody bowed to Kaiba as if he was a king as they passed through the grand lobby. The place looked way too extravagant to simply be a company lobby. It was lit with two gigantic chandeliers hanging from the tall ceiling. The floor was paved with shiny black marble that reflected the light of the sun. Flowers, furniture, and paintings were each artfully arranged to give off a feeling of welcome and wealth. She had been to thousands of company headquarters in her life, but few as extravagant as this one.

She followed Kaiba to the elevator still in amazement while Kaiba didn't even spare a glance at his surroundings. Obviously he'd grown up in such luxury, but so had she. Yet she was still shocked. It said something about his stoic character that he didn't notice all this.

They got off on the nineteenth floor. Now the hallway reminded her of a hotel, since it was just one long hallway with doors to their left. They walked to the end of the hallway where it suddenly opened up to an open space. One woman in her late twenties sat behind a mahogany desk.

"Mr. Kaiba, Mrs. Yasune is waiting for you inside," the woman said with a professional voice.

"Thank you, Saki." Kaiba walked past her and opened the door.

Delia sighed and prepared for her mom's wrath. It didn't matter that she hadn't skipped "school" today. She hadn't stayed home as her mom commanded. That was all that matters.

Kaiba's office was bigger than she had imagined. It reminded her more of a suite room than an office. One single desk sat in front of the glass windows that made up the entire back wall. One wall was lined with bookshelves while two sofas sat on the other side of the room. Her mom sat in one of those sofas and stood up when they entered.

Kaiba shook hands with her mom, who didn't seem to be mad at all. Instead, she had a big smile on her face and even hugged Delia. Delia now knew her mom definitely had something up her sleeve.

"Mom, what are you planning?" she whispered as they sat down in the two chairs in front of Kaiba's desk.

Mrs. Yasune simply smiled mysteriously and said, "That is for me to know and for you to find out." She settled in her chair comfortably while Delia frowned and fidgeted in her chair.

As soon as Kaiba sat down, Mrs. Yasune spoke, "Mr. Kaiba, I'm going to get straight to the point as to why I called you. As you know, this is my younger daughter, Delia. As of now, she is completely out of control. I am worried about her future because no matter what school I put her in, or what private teacher I hire for her, she can't seem to settle down and study. She is very behind on her education. My husband and I are very worried about her.

"As for how all this have anything to do with you, well, when I checked up on your files before we became business partners, I was extremely impressed. You are only eighteen and you are the CEO of this successful company. I am thinking about leaving Delia in your care. I wasn't sure until I met you a few days ago, but you are exactly the way described in your report: ruthless, ambitious, intelligent, arrogant, even egotistical. You would make a great teacher to my daughter. You could rein in her craziness.

"In this tough world today, I would want Delia to receive the best education possible. The way she is now, I can't let her succeed either my husband's or my company. Since I can't force anything on her because she is my dear daughter, I am sure you have ways to deal with her mischievousness."

Delia's jaw dropped as she stared at her mom. She could see that Kaiba did not trust her mom. His eyes narrowed and his brows drew together in thought.

"I, for one, will not do it, Mom. I do not want to succeed either Dad's or your company. You can give them all to Hara for all I care. Besides, I am sure Mr. Kaiba here is a very busy man. He would not have the time to take care of a girl who would disappear as soon as he turns his back on her."

She stared at Seto Kaiba as if challenging him to accept the offer. He met her gaze and his lips twitched into an arrogant smirk. He faced Mrs. Yasune once again and said, "This is very unexpected. I've accepted thousands of business offers, but never one like this. Who would've thought that your two daughters are so different? One is the smartest kid in school. Her abilities with computer programming almost match my own, but this," Kaiba gestured at Delia without so much as looking at her and let the sentence hang.

Delia growled, daring him to continue. He did exactly just that. "I don't like to turn down good offers, Mrs. Yasune, but I really can't see what I can get out of this."

Her mom smiled while Delia cursed him. _Cheap bastard! He's actually thinking Mom would pay him. There're thousands of better teachers out there._

"Of course I will pay you, Mr. Kaiba. If you think Hara is competent enough, then I will let her work for your company for free. You should know how much of an asset she will be to your company as a computer programmer. Also, I will provide you with any equipment under the cost of $200,000."

Delia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did Mom just talk about Hara as if Hara was just another person on the job market? And $200,000? Surely no teacher ever cost that much.

Then Delia did something she should've done at the beginning of this entire ordeal. She pinched herself on the arm. _Oww! Oww!_

It wasn't a dream.

"Then I accept. Where do you want to draw up the contract?"

_No! No! You can't accept!_ Delia wanted to strangle Kaiba. She made the most furious face she could manage, but that bastard didn't even spare a glance at her.

"I will let my people do it. We will sign it tomorrow morning. Hara will start here next Monday after school. As for Delia, she will start here tomorrow."

Kaiba nodded. Then he and Mrs. Yasune shook hands and sealed the deal.

"Mom, I can't believe you did that! You just sold Hara and me to the devil!" Delia shouted as soon as they were alone in the elevator.

"Don't be ridiculous, Delia. I did this for your own good. As for Hara, she will gain valuable experience working with Mr. Kaiba."

Delia didn't say anything. She knew nothing could change her mom's mind at this time. Instead, she started to plot on how to get out of this mess. All she had to do was make Kaiba back out. She smiled deviously to herself as all sorts of plans popped into her head.

_Seto Kaiba, you'll regret this! I will make sure of it!_

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**A/N: Plz REVIEW!!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The next morning, Mrs. Yasune woke Delia up an hour earlier than usual. Today was the day her wayward daughter began studying at Kaiba's company. She had complete confidence that Mr. Kaiba would turn Delia into an obedient daughter, if not a good student, in a month or so.

"I really don't want to go, Mom," Delia whined groggily.

"Too bad, Delia. You got yourself into this situation. If you'd just listened to me or Dad once, you would be in the same school as your sister. Now hurry up and get ready. We're going to be late."

Swearing under her breath, Delia climbed out of bed. She showered quickly and dressed in black despite her mom's warnings.

"Give me your phone," Mrs. Yasune suddenly said as they were about to leave.

"What?"

"Actually, give me your phone and your purse."

"Mom…" Delia couldn't believe this was happening.

"Delia, now!"

Delia reluctantly handed her phone and purse to her mom. Now she had nothing. She would be stuck at Kaiba Corp without a cellphone or any money at all. When had her mom become so astute in dealing with her?

As they drove to Kaiba Corp, Delia thought about the conversation she had with Hara last night about what had happened. Hara had actually blushed when Delia told her what Kaiba had said about her. She had also envied Delia about having Kaiba as a teacher. The memory brought a smile to Delia's lips.

_Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I'll just see it as doing my sister a favor. _

It turned out that she will be staying in Kaiba's personal office. They had already set up another desk for her in front of all the bookshelves. She thought he was taking this job way too seriously. She totally expected him to lock her up in another small room and just leave her alone to do whatever she wished in that room. Instead, she gets to see his grim and arrogant—and handsome—face for eight hours.

Oh boy.

While Delia waited for her mom and Kaiba to sign the contract, she looked for an escape route to use when Kaiba wasn't near, but before she could find one, they finished. _That had to be the fastest contract signing ever._

"Mrs. Yasune, I hope it is all right if I assign Steven and Dan to look after your daughter when I am not here. I have heard how mischievous Miss Yasune can be."

Her mom smiled. "Of course. Any way to teach her is fine, as long as it works."

Soon, Delia was alone with Kaiba in the office.

"Now that everything is finished, we will set up several rules." Kaiba perched on the edge of his desk with his arms crossed and looked at her.

"What rules?" Delia asked defiantly.

"First, don't ever disturb me no matter what I am doing."

"As if I'd ever want to."

He frowned at her interruption. She glared back at him without apology. He continued, "I won't always be in the office, but I'll send somebody to help you if you have any problems. Second, let me just make it clear that you won't be able to escape from this building…"

"But if I do, I get the day off," she challenged.

He chuckled softly. She hated to admit it, but he had a very pleasant smile. "Fine. If you manage to get out of this building, then you get the day off. I won't even say anything to Mrs. Yasune. However, if you try and fail, then I will double your workload."

"Deal!"

"Good. Lastly, you'll have to listen to me no matter what. I am the boss here, so you'll have to obey me."

"You can't expect me to follow that rule!" Delia shot back, incensed that he would think to control her this way. She didn't even obey her parents. What made he think she'd obey him?

"We'll see." He sat down in his chair and started to flip through the files on his desk.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Delia asked as she looked at the stacks of papers on her desks.

"Those are some test I obtained for you. I want you to take them so I can assess what level you are on. Don't worry. I'm not expecting much. Just do your best," Kaiba replied without looked at her.

_Not expecting much huh? I'll show him!_ Delia thought angrily.

She started with the English test. After about an hour of that, she wanted to give up. It wasn't like she didn't know the answers to the problems. She was fluent in English. She just hated grammar. And the test questions were so tedious. She bet Kaiba got these just to bore her to tears. However, she forced herself to plow through them whenever she thought of Kaiba's condescending comments.

Three hours later, Kaiba left for a short meeting, as he put it. Delia finally put down the pencil and stopped working. She studied the room, once again looking for a way to escape. She knew Steven and Dan were both standing outside, but there wasn't any other way out of this place except for the front door. The ventilation shaft was too small for her to fit in. She couldn't jump out of the window since the office was on the nineteenth floor.

She stared at the door while her mind worked furiously for a way to get out. Sometimes she thought that if she spent half as much energy on studying as she did on getting into trouble, she would not be in this predicament right now, but that was beside the point.

Suddenly, she had an idea. She wasn't sure if it'll work, but it was worth a try.

* * *

Steven and Dan stood outside Mr. Kaiba's office, both thinking that this was pointless. They could be doing so many other things right now. They had no idea why Mr. Kaiba accepted this stupid job looking after a girl, even if the pay was good.

Dan sighed and glanced at the clock. It was only eleven. They still have six more hours of this.

As Dan was thinking, he thought he heard something from the room. Steven and Dan's eyes met as they nodded to each other and stood by the door quietly. Mr. Kaiba had warned them to not underestimate the girl inside. They decided to ignore whatever tactics the girl was using and didn't budge from their spots.

Seconds later, they heard a loud crash from inside. All sorts of possibilities ran through the two guards' heads, until finally Steven hissed, "The girl's trying to go through the vent!"

Without waiting for his partner's reply, Steven opened the door and rushed in. Dan looked into the room from outside and saw that the opening to the ventilation shaft was torn off. The window was also shattered. The girl was nowhere in the room. He rushed in after Steven. Mr. Kaiba was going to kill them if the girl really escaped.

However, once he was in the middle of the room, something hit him hard on the head. The last thing he heard before he lost consciousness was the loud banging of the door.

* * *

Delia jumped out of her seat and went to the ventilation shaft. She ripped off the opening lightly. Then she walked to the door. Once against the door, she threw the opening against the glass window with all of her might. A loud crash sounded as part of the window shattered. She really felt guilty about destroying the glass, but Kaiba deserved it for locking her in here. Maybe he'd get so pissed off that he'd drop her off at her mom's office and be done with her.

A few minutes after the crash, the door swung open. One bodyguard rushed into the room. His eyes immediately focused on the ventilation shaft, as if the windows were still completely intact.

_Come on, where's the other one?_

Soon, the second one barged in as well. They both stood in the middle of the room. She couldn't have planned it better. She knew that she probably shouldn't hurt them, but they were Kaiba's cronies. A little pain would serve them well.

From her position behind the door, she rushed the two guards. She kicked the second guard's head from behind. He went down instantly. The first guard spun around and lunged to catch her. However, she was a lot faster than him. She punched him in the gut. When he bent over, clutching his stomach, she kneed him in the face. He slumped down on the floor in no time. She looked down at their unconscious bodies with satisfaction.

_Serves them right_.

She didn't waste another second and ran outside, slamming the door behind her. She waited for the elevator impatiently. She would've taken the stairs, but she couldn't find it. What kind of idiot works at a building without stairs to the topmost floor?

Finally, the elevator arrived after what seemed like forever. She hurriedly rushed in.

And bumped into a familiar hard chest.

"Kaiba!" Delia gasped. Her eyes met the cold blue of his.

"Already running, aren't we?" He grabbed her wrist harshly and dragged her after him toward his office.

_Damn! And I almost got away too!_ She fought against his grip, but his fingers were like a vise around her wrist. The more she fought, the tighter they became.

Kaiba unlocked the door with his keys and threw her inside. She tripped over Dan's body on the floor and landed in a heap between the two unconscious guards. Seeing the two unconscious large men in the middle of the floor, Kaiba poked his head outside of the door and shouted, "Security!"

Seconds later, two smaller men dressed in security uniforms rushed in. "Yes, Mr. Kaiba?" One of them asked.

Kaiba pointed to Dan and Steven. "Get those two out of here."

"Yes, sir!" They each grabbed one of the guards and dragged them out of the room. Kaiba slammed the door shut behind them. Delia stared up at him insolently, wondering what kind of punishment he'd exact.

"You, go back to your desk and finish those test. I have more things than those tests for you today," he grounded out in a growl and returned to his desk.

She gave him a death glare and sat back down in her chair. "I'm not paying for that window!" she said first before Kaiba even noticed it.

Kaiba looked back to the window. His frown deepened. "Just get back to your work," he said and then called someone on the phone.

She didn't bother talking to him anymore and started doing the test again.

The rest of the day was a complete nightmare. After her tests, Kaiba gave her thirty extremely hard problems for every subject: Calculus, English, Japanese, Chemistry, Government, Economics, and Japanese History. He said that if she didn't finish, they would be homework.

_Homework! He gave me homework!_ Delia slammed the packets on her desk back home later that night. _Screw him. I'm not doing any of this!_ Instead, she climbed in bed and went to sleep.

It had been a long day.

* * *

The next morning, Delia woke up at five since she had slept so early the night before. She wanted to go back to sleep, but suddenly thought that she could escape now before her mom actually woke up. She almost jumped out of bed in elation. After taking a quick shower, she pulled on a pair of black shorts, a black tank top, and a pair of black boots. Before she left, she also "borrowed" Hara's extra set of school uniform.

Now she was finally going to get her revenge on Duke.

First, since it was still early in the morning, she went to eat some breakfast. When she saw it was finally time for school to start, she changed at the restaurant and drove to Domino High School. Since she was wearing Hara's uniform, she blended in easily with the students and got in with no problem.

She soon spotted Duke hanging out with some guys. She followed him sneakily to his classroom all the while planning her revenge. She made her first move before lunch. She dumped a bucket of water on him from the roof while he was on the ground below. It was so much fun to see the astonished look on his face and hear him swear.

During lunch, she told some of the girls whom she had seen hanging around Duke that he wanted to see them. They instantly crowded all over Duke while he had no idea what was going on. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

The third time she dumped the janitor's detergent on him. His clothes turned all white after several minutes. Everywhere he went, water dripped from his clothes while leaving the ground in a colorful palette. Once in the hallway, she tripped him out of spite, making him fall flat on his face. She took satisfaction in the fact everybody laughed at him. However, he almost caught her that time, but she was rather fast at running away. Yet, to her disappointment, school ended way too soon.

She was on the roof of the school building thinking of the finale when a pair of arms locked around her waist.

"Found you!"

Her head whipped around and met Duke's emerald eyes.

"Let me go!" She struggled and wiggled out of his grip. She laughed as she stared him dressed completely in white as if his clothes were made out of paper.

"I knew it! No one could possibly do this to me other than you!" Duke said with a frown and crossed his arms.

She was still smiling as she spoke, "You deserved it. I've been here for almost a week, and you haven't even paid me a visit yet. You haven't called me either. Some best friend you are."

The frown disappeared on his face as she turned away, refusing to look at him.

"Delia, I'm sorry. I know I should've told you, but I just got caught up in everything. I even planned to move back after everything was over, but I really like it here. Also, I opened my shop. Can you believe it? Pegasus actually signed the game contract with me!"

"That's great!"

She couldn't _not_ feel happy for him. After all, he was her best friend. However, she wouldn't forgive him this easily. "But…I was lonely in Tokyo. I mean, all the others are fun to hang out with, but it didn't feel right without you. Hara is also wonderful, but Hara is Hara. I can't tell her things that I can tell you," Delia said with a pout.

"I'm sorry. Look, I'd do anything to make it up to you!" Duke slung his arm over her shoulders.

"Anything?" she asked him to make sure.

"Have I ever lied to you?" Duke faked a hurt look.

"No, it's just that I don't know what I want you to do," she said with a laugh.

"So here's where you're hiding!" The door to the roof suddenly banged open and Kaiba stormed out with Hara behind him. Delia glared at her twin, who could only blush and mouth, "I'm sorry."

Suddenly, Delia had a wonderful idea. She tugged on Duke's arm.

"Yes?" he asked without even bothering to look at Kaiba.

"Defeat him in Duel Monsters and I'll forgive you," Delia muttered.

The color drained from Duke's face and he gulped.

"Are you scared?" she asked him, aghast. The Duke she knew wasn't scared of anyone or anything.

"No! Of course not!"

"Perfect!" She nodded and finally turned her attention to Kaiba, who looked like he was about to explode with fury. She didn't understand why he was so pissed off, since he was getting paid without having to work. Besides, she had only taken one day off. Whatever, she would never figure him out.

Instead, she pointed her finger at him and announced with all the dramatics befitting a soap opera actress, "Mr. Kaiba, Duke challenges you to a duel!"

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**A/N: Sorry this took me so long to update. It's almost finals for me, so after this chapter it'll be at least two or three weeks before I update again, but I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!!**

**Plz REVIEW!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews!!! Enjoy!!**

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**Chapter Four**

There was a moment of stunned silence after Delia's announcement.

Then, Kaiba laughed.

Delia growled. How dare he laugh? Never mind that it was a nice laugh, one that sent tingles along her skin, but how dare he? Nothing was funny, was it?

"Delia, this is really not a good idea," Hara said beside Kaiba, who had calmed down. Now, he only had an arrogant smirk on his face, one that Delia couldn't wait to wipe off of him.

"I never have good ideas!" Delia shot her twin a death glare before continuing, "But Duke is going to duel Mr. Kaiba under certain conditions."

"What conditions?" Kaiba asked.

"You two will play Dungeon Dice Monsters. If Duke wins, then you will refuse to tutor me. You must give me one month of freedom while telling Mom that I'm actually studying. After that month, you will tell Mom that you quit."

"And if I win?"

"If you win, I'll start doing what I'm supposed to and stop causing you any trouble."

"That's not good enough," Kaiba said with a smirk.

"What else do you want?"

"If I win, not only are you to stop causing me trouble, you also have to work for my company three hours every day after you're done studying."

Delia thought about it. If Duke loses, then her life was ruined however long she stayed in Kaiba Corp. However, since she was the one to challenge Kaiba, she would never back down, so she replied, "It's a deal!"

Kaiba grinned triumphantly. Hara looked absolutely shocked, and so did Duke.

"Let's go then. I suppose the only place that has a dueling arena is your little shop, Devlin. We will take my limo," Kaiba said and left first.

Delia turned to Duke and said menacingly, "Now you must win, Duke. You have to. Otherwise I'll die working under him!" She grabbed his arm and dragged him with her.

"Delia, what were you thinking? Don't you know that Seto was the number one duelist in the world?" Hara asked as they headed down the stairs.

"Seto? You're calling him Seto? Just whose side are you on, Hara?" Delia glowered at her twin. "And you said he _was_ the number one duelist, so that means somebody must've beaten him. Besides, I doubt if Kaiba have even played Dungeon Dice Monster before."

"That's not the point. Seto is the kind of person that learns anything quickly. Duke wouldn't have any advantage."

"Whatever! What's done is done! And stop calling him Seto! He's Kaiba. He's the devil incarnate! You're my twin! You're supposed to be on my side!"

Hara rolled her eyes at Delia's histrionics. "Geez, he's not the devil incarnate. Besides, it was your fault to begin with. You should've just gone to study obediently. Then nothing like this would've happened."

"Exactly. If this didn't happen, I wouldn't have the chance to get out of this stupid contract Mom made with him."

"Don't blame me when you lose," Hara said, giving up.

When they were almost outside the school, several other kids saw them and came over. A pretty cute guy with blond hair asked, "Hey Duke, where're you going?" Then he noticed Delia and jumped back. "Wow! Hara, there're two of you!"

"Oh, hi, Joey," Hara said with a smile. She pointed at Delia. "Meet my twin, Delia. Delia, this is Joey."

"Hi, nice to meet you!"

Hara then introduced the other three kids that came with Joey. One of them was named Tristan. He was a bit taller than Joey and had short brown hair kind of spiked at the forehead. The girl with them was Tea. She had brown hair also. She seemed extremely friendly with Hara. The shortest guy among them was called Yugi. He had spiked hair with three colors: yellow, black, and red. It was kind of weird, but pretty cool nonetheless.

From the way Hara talked with them, Delia could tell that they were already good friends. While she was happy for Hara, she didn't want to waste any more time here. She wanted to get the duel over with.

"It's great to meet you guys, but I'm sorry, we really have to go," Delia interrupted Hara's conversation with the gang. She grabbed Hara with her other free hand. She had to literally drag Hara away from her new found friends.

"Sorry!" Hara waved to them as they disappeared from sight.

"What took you so long?" Kaiba was already standing in front of the limo with his arms crossed. He had apparently been waiting for a while from the dark expression on his face and the way he tapped his foot impatiently.

"Don't look at me," Delia bit back. "We ran into some of Hara's friends on the way. I had to drag her away from them."

"Kaiba!" Delia wanted to groan when she recognized the voice.

She turned and there he was, Joey and the gang.

"Wheeler, what's a dog like you doing here?" Kaiba was as arrogant as usual.

"Kaiba, I think they are in this school," Delia said wryly. He really was the same with everybody. She didn't understand why Hara was so infatuated with him. Sure, he was good looking, well, hot, but that didn't make up for his conceited personality. "Anyway, let's go! I can't wait to see your defeat!"

"Wait! What do you mean by Kaiba's defeat?" Yugi shouted after them.

Delia didn't want to explain, but she didn't want to be that rude. After all, they were Hara's dear friends. She'd doubtlessly see them again in the future. "Duke and Kaiba are going to have duel playing Dungeon Dice Monsters. Now we're going to Duke's shop." Something occurred to her just before she got in the limo, something that would annoy Seto Kaiba further. "If you want to come, I'm sure Mr. Kaiba wouldn't mind taking you with us. There's plenty of room in the car."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Yugi asked as he was about to get in.

"Oh yes, Seto doesn't mind," Hara was quick to reassure her new friends.

Delia hid her laugh behind a cough. Kaiba looked absolutely murderous, but he didn't say anything but just sat there stoically. Maybe he really didn't want to shatter Hara's illusion of him. However, Delia didn't mind. She absolutely loved pissing off Kaiba, so she'll take whatever she can get.

For the entire ride, Hara talked with her friends and occasionally with Kaiba while Delia caught up with Duke on the past year. Time passed swiftly as she engrossed herself in Duke's stories. It seemed that her friend had done well in the past year, opening up his shop after perfecting his game program. She could only wish that eventually she will be as successful as Duke.

They were in front of Duke's shop in no time. Kaiba said nothing as he left the car. Delia, being as excited as she was, made everyone leave the car quickly so that she could see Duke's shop. She had never been there before. As she followed Duke, she looked from left to right, never getting enough.

"Wow, that's so awesome!" she exclaimed, stopping by one of the dueling arenas and watching the game. "Duke, you have to teach me how to play this! It looks so fun. I can't believe you made it!"

She and Duke walked in the front of the group, hand in hand, like a couple who's been dating. However, there was nothing but friendship between them. They were just so used to each other that everything came natural to them, even after a year of separation.

Finally, they arrived at the private dueling arena where only Duke and several others have access to.

"Good luck! I'm depending on you!" Delia patted Duke's shoulder.

"Thanks." Then he got on the platform that rose up to the control panel.

Hara was the only one standing by Kaiba wishing him luck. _Traitor!_ Delia mouthed the word when she saw, but Hara only shrugged and turned away.

"Now, shall we start, Kaiba?" Duke asked as the machine started.

"Let's get this over with, Devlin," Kaiba said from his side of the arena.

"All right. I'll let you go first."

"Hmm!"

The game began in earnest then. Since Kaiba wasn't accustomed to throwing the dice, Duke gained a great advantage. He had about three monsters on the field before Kaiba even summoned one. However, even as Delia gloated and cheered for Duke, she noticed that Kaiba never lost his cool. Soon Kaiba had two level three monsters on the field protecting his heart points.

From there on it was a fierce battle between two top-notch duelists. They both lost two monsters before Duke managed to destroy one of Kaiba's heart points with a Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress.

"Yay! You rock, Duke!" Delia shouted and jumped in joy. "Take that! Kaiba!"

Kaiba merely glanced at her for a second before returning his attention to the game. Minutes later, Delia realized that Kaiba wasn't as unfamiliar with the game as she had thought. He managed to use one of the monster's special moves to destroy one of Duke's heart points, making the game even. As they continued to duel, Duke summoned some sort of black hole that allowed him to transport his monsters. With this, he took the lead again by destroying Kaiba's second heart point.

From that point on, Delia found her attention focused more on Kaiba than on Duke. She kept telling herself that it had nothing to do with the fact he looked even sexier when he was completely focused on defeating Duke. In fact, she was watching for the time when Kaiba gives up and realizes that he would lose the game no matter what. She was not thinking about how perfect his body looked, with broad-shoulders that led down to a trim waist and long legs.

No, definitely not.

However, she had to force herself to tear her eyes away from Kaiba. That was when she noticed that Hara's eyes never left Kaiba. Her twin was completely in love with the jerk. Might as well. That way, Delia had a reason to never think about Kaiba in any sort of romantic way, no matter how handsome he was.

She turned her attention back to the duel at hand, just in time to see Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon firing at Duke's last heart point.

"No!!" She couldn't hold back the shout. "Duke! How can you lose? You created the game, damn it!" She glared at her best friend, who looked very apologetic.

"Sorry, Delia, I tried my best."

She sighed, depressed. _Great. Now what?_ Oh yeah, now she had to not only study under Kaiba, but also work for him too. Her life was going down the drain.

Looking at Duke's worried expression, she forced a smile. "It's OK, Duke. I guess you really couldn't beat him. Don't worry. He won't kill me." _I hope not._

"Well, you want to have dinner tonight? It'll be on me," Duke asked in order to cheer her up.

"That's great! I'd love to!"

However, Kaiba would not let her get off so easily and said coldly from behind her, "Sorry to break it to you, Devlin, but she's working for me. It's almost time for her to start."

"What? It's only the first day! I never said I'd start right way!" Delia yelled.

"I never said you won't. Since I win, I get the last say. Now let's go! You've got three hours of work to do." Kaiba caught her wrist in a death grip and literally dragged her to the car while she fought him all the way there. He pushed her inside the limo harshly and climbed in after her, shutting the door behind him.

"What's wrong with you? I just met him today! I don't care if you don't have friends, but you can't stop me from hanging out with mine!" Delia began to scream and yell.

Finally, Kaiba was sick and tired of her rant and stopped her by pinning her back on her seat. He leaned close to her and hissed, "I don't care about your little friends, Delia. When I say you're working for me, you're working for me."

Delia didn't hear a word he said. Instead, she was way too aware of just how close he was. She could hear his heartbeat, or was that hers? _God, why haven't I noticed how blue his eyes were?_ She felt herself drowning deeper and deeper as she stared into his blue orbs. Her breathing was starting to quicken. She hoped he would pull away after speaking, but he only leaned closer. His eyes shifted down to stare at her lips.

"And I don't like it when you're so close to Devlin," he whispered, more to himself than to her. Just when she thought he was going to kiss her, he pulled back sharply.

"Kaiba…" She was completely speechless as she stared at him. She could still feel his warm breath against her cheek.

He was back to his old cold self. Whatever had just happened between them was gone. "You can be with your friends after work, but as of now, you're working for me. I do not want you to slack off."

The car stopped in front of Kaiba Corp just then. Delia said the only thing that was safe before getting out of the car, "Yes, Mr. Kaiba."

She had no more time to think about what had happened in the car the rest of the day, since Kaiba loaded her with work. He assigned her an office that was right beside his own. He still placed guards outside of her door even though she'd promised to not run away anymore. He just didn't trust her, and he had a good reason.

Kaiba also taught her how to use most of the programs he designed for the company as well as the game programs so that she could actually do something productive. However, she forgot most of what he taught her the next minute. Her brain just wasn't used to holding so much information that was forced on her. Not to mention, she often found herself lost in his deep voice and staring at his handsome face in a dreamy state so that she didn't hear anything he said, but she'd never admit that to him or even to herself.

As soon as the three hours were over, she jumped out of her seat and out of the room lightning fast. She left the building before most of the people in the company had even walked out of their office. She was so fed up with work that she could die any minute.

Later that night, lying in bed, her mind wandered back to that moment in the car.

_What did he mean by he doesn't like it when I'm close to Duke? That's none of his business._ Then she remembered how Kaiba had been furious when he found her on the roof with Duke. At that time she just thought he was angry because she skipped, but now, it seemed a bit unreasonable that he lost his cool over a small thing like that.

_Could he be jealous?_ The thought came unbidden. Delia squashed down the happy feeling that spiked inside of her at the thought ruthlessly. _That's impossible. He had no reason to be jealous._

"What are you thinking about?" Hara's face suddenly appeared on top of her. Delia stared at her own face. She and Hara looked very much alike, just what one would expect of identical twins. However, Delia had dyed her hair brown years ago while Hara still retained her natural born black hair. Delia was also a bit taller than her twin and had more of an athletic build while Hara's figure was more girly and soft. However, they both had the same pixie-like face with wide gray eyes.

"Nothing," Delia replied. She didn't want Hara to know that she was in any way attracted to Kaiba. And she wasn't. Today must be a fluke of some kind. She was just without a boyfriend for too long. "So, what's going on with you and Kaiba?" she asked Hara, changing the subject.

Hara blushed prettily, which was one of the few expressions the twins didn't share. Delia never blushed. "Nothing, we're just friends."

"Yeah, friends." Delia rolled her eyes at the blatant lie. "You know, you two are perfect together. You two can talk about your computers all the time. And I bet he wants an obedient girlfriend that did everything he commanded. You're perfect for that!"

"Hey!" Hara shouted, offended.

"I'm joking!" Delia said quickly before Hara could hit her. "But still, you guys are all computer geeks, including Duke."

"I just wish you'd let me teach you, then you'll know why I love it so much," Hara said and sighed.

"No thanks. I'd rather not be addicted to a machine."

"You won't be addicted. It's…" Then Hara started listing off the many pros of computer programming. Delia lay back in bed and nodded when it was appropriate. When Hara gets started, she wouldn't stop until she was finished, which suited Delia just fine.

Delia fell asleep within minutes.

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**A/N: It'll be a while before I update again, since I'll be out of the country for about a month. **

**Please REVIEW!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Yay!!! I'm back!!! It's been a long month. However, to be honest, I didn't want to come back. I mean, who would? It was a wonderful vacation. Thanks for the reviews. Now it's back to regular updates, or so I hope. Enjoy!!!**

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**Chapter Five**

The next Monday, Delia and Hara went to Kaiba Corp together, since Hara was starting work for Kaiba. Just for today, Hara took a day off from school, since it was her first day. Delia thought that Hara just wanted an excuse to see Kaiba this early in the morning.

As she watched Hara fidget around and bite her lips, Delia said with impatience, "Geez, calm down. If he didn't bite me, he's not going to bite you either, considering how much he likes you."

"Are you sure? Do I look OK?" Hara asked as they stood in front of the door to Kaiba's office.

"Yes, you look perfect," Delia said as reassuringly as possible. Really, Hara looked more than perfect. She wore a new black suit tailored perfectly for her with a blue dress shirt. Her black skirt was just knee length and her black heels matched the rest of her. Delia had helped her sister do her make-up this morning as well as her hair. Therefore, now Hara looked just like the rest of the professional woman around her. Nothing about her was out of place.

"You ready?" Delia asked with her hand on the door knob.

"Yes," Hara replied and smoothed a hand over her skirt. In a matter of minutes, all signs of her nervousness were gone.

Delia opened the door and they went in. Kaiba was already sitting in his chair as always. He smiled a little as he saw Hara and ordered Delia to close the door.

"I'm not your slave," Delia grumbled even as she did as he ordered.

"You're one of my employees now, so no more complaints," Kaiba said curtly and gestured toward her desk.

Delia's eyes shot wide open as she saw the stack of textbooks on her desk. "What're these for?" She picked up the top one. It weighed a ton.

"They're textbooks. What do you think they're for? You must read one lesson out of each book everyday from now on and write me a report. I also have practice problems for you to do for them once you're done reading. If you don't understand anything, write it down and ask me at the end of the day. Every week, I will give you tests to see how you're doing."

_God, he's a slave driver. I'd never be able to finish all this. _Delia sank in her chair and just stared at all the books with dread.

Finally, after a few minutes, she sighed rather dejectedly and started reading the top one, Japanese History, possibly the worst subject she could've picked. Thus, it wasn't surprising that her mind wandered and she started listening to Hara and Kaiba's conversation.

"…You're nothing like your dim-witted sister. I do not understand how the two of you could be related." Delia heard Kaiba say about twenty minutes later. _I'm right here you know,_ she thought, _at least have a bit more tact._ However, she was relatively surprised that Hara and he could talk normally for that long. Usually, by this time, she herself would be screaming her head off at Kaiba while he stayed calm and collected. Hara and that jerk really did suit each other perfectly.

"Seto, you're mistaken. Delia is very smart. She just doesn't apply herself," Hara said in Delia's defense and sent a smile her way.

_At least she's not completely converted to his side,_ Delia thought with relief.

"Oh really? And here I just thought she was slow."

Delia's eyes narrowed as she glowered at Kaiba. _Slow, I'll show you slow!_ For the next few hours, she completely ignored what was happening around her and focused on her study. She completed all of the readings and reports two hours before the end of the day.

"Here, I'm done!" She slammed her notebooks filled with her reports on his desk and had the satisfaction of seeing him jolt in surprise.

However, he recollected himself too quickly for Delia's peace of mind. "Good. Now you can go to your office and work. Hara will tell you what to do today." Then he went back to whatever he was doing earlier.

Holding back a frustrated scream at being unable to ruffle Kaiba's cool for long, Delia spun around on her heels and stalked out of the room and into her office. Hara was bent over her desk working on something. She didn't even hear Delia close the door to the room.

"Hara!" Delia said her sister's name sharply.

Hara looked up immediately. Her eyes were unfocused for a second before she saw Delia and smiled. "Wow. You're early."

"I know!" Delia said, suddenly proud of her accomplishment. At least one person here appreciated her efforts today. "That'll show him if I'm dim-witted or not. Anyway, what are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing really. Seto wanted me to work out the kinks for this program. I'm just trying to figure it out."

"Trying to figure it out? You mean it actually stumped you?"

"Well, sort of. I've never done something quite like this before, so I think I made a mistake somewhere. All of his programs are a lot more complicated than I expected."

"Wow." Delia didn't want to feel respect for that jerk, but to her, Hara was the smartest person in the entire world, well, other than her parents. However, if that Kaiba managed to stump Hara, that meant he wasn't half bad himself. "So what am I supposed to do today? Kaiba told me to ask you."

"Oh, yeah. I have your assignment on your desk." Hara pointed to the stack of paper on Delia's desk and returned to her work.

Delia sat down in her chair and perused the stack of paper on her desk. Ten minutes later, she was scratching her head in confusion. "Hara, help me!" she pleaded her brilliant twin sister.

Hara sighed theatrically. "Geez, you can't do anything, can you?"

"Ouch. That hurt." Delia placed a hand over her heart, her theatricality mirroring that of her sister. "That jerk's attitude is rubbing off on you."

"Oops, sorry," Hara giggled. "So what do you need help with?"

"Everything," Delia grumbled.

"Delia…"

"Well, I don't understand it. Kaiba wasn't the most patient teacher, but I swear, if you teach me, I'll really study and try to understand everything." Delia was actually serious about it this time. She was really sick of Kaiba's derisive comments. She will learn everything even if it killed her.

"All right, but just this once," Hara said, giving in.

"Thanks! You're the best!" Delia smiled bright and hugged her twin.

In the next few hours, Hara explained everything to Delia and answered Delia's questions. This time, Delia refused to allow herself to be distracted. She actually took detailed notes and really took time to think over what Hara had said about everything. She found that it really wasn't that complicated once she applied herself. Even though she made fun of Hara and Duke about being computer nerds, she wasn't completely unfamiliar with computer programming. She actually had been very interested in it until she realized that she'd never match up to Hara and became sick and tired to people comparing her to her twin.

Delia shook away the unpleasant memories all this brought back and focused on what she was doing. She didn't want to think about the times when she hated Hara for being the smarter twin. It wasn't Hara's fault. Also, she knew Hara worked hard for those praises she received. She should be proud of Hara and nothing else.

Even when her three hours were over, Delia didn't leave the office like she usually did. Instead, she stayed and studied. She even told Hara to leave without her. When she finally decided that it was time to go home, the sun had already set. Usually, by this time, she'd be eating dinner, but today, she didn't feel that hungry. However, she did feel accomplished. Although she hadn't finished everything Kaiba assigned her, she finally knew her way around the programs, so finishing those assignments shouldn't be that hard anymore.

As Delia drove home, she hummed the entire way back. She never knew that being productive could feel so good. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to work for Kaiba after all._

As she drove up the driveway to her house, Delia frowned upon seeing the limo parked in front of the front doors to the mansion. After parking in the garage, she went to the living room, but found no one there. However, she did follow her ears to the voices coming from the foyer.

"What…what are you doing here?" Shocked, Delia pointed rather rudely at the blue-eyed devil standing in front of the doorway in the act of giving a bouquet of roses to Hara.

"Oh, Delia, you're back!" Hara whirled around to face her before Kaiba could say anything. Delia stared at her twin, dumbfounded. Hara was dressed in a sky-blue dress that clung to her body like a second skin, showing off her soft curves and emphasizing her long legs. Her hair was in some kind of complicated up-do, but tendrils of it framed her pretty face. Her makeup was also perfect, which told Delia that Hara had actually taken the time to go to a beauty salon. "Seto and I are just about to go out to dinner."

"We're meeting some of my business associates," Kaiba said coolly.

Delia didn't believe that for a second. However, she had to agree that he looked delectable in the black tailored suit. She suddenly wondered what it would feel like to get him out of those clothes, to tease him as she undressed him quickly. She quickly shook away the thought. No, it wouldn't do to think about Kaiba like that, no matter how sexy he looked. "Where are you going?" she finally asked in an effort to clear her head.

"Antoine's," Hara answered with a happy smile.

"A friend recommended it to me. I heard that Mr. Yasune now owns it?" Kaiba asked politely.

Delia didn't know why he was bothering to act polite. It wasn't like it was their first meeting or anything. Being polite for once wouldn't change her opinion of him. "Yes," she replied. "Dad bought the chain last year. Well, I won't keep the two of you anymore. Enjoy your dinner."

Kaiba immediately turned to Hara. "Shall we go?"

"Yes," Hara said breathily, flustered. She followed Kaiba to the limo. Just before she got in, she shouted to Delia, almost as an afterthought, "There're leftovers in the fridge, Delia. Mom said she'll be back late."

"OK! Have fun!" Delia waved and watched the limo pull out of the driveway and disappear into the darkness. She pulled a face at Hara's last comment. She wasn't going to eat leftovers when Hara and that jerk were going to eat at one of the best Italian restaurants in the country. No, definitely not.

In fact…

Delia pulled out her cellphone and found the number she was looking for. Two rings later, a familiar voice answered, "Hey, Delia, what's up?"

"Hey Duke, want to go to dinner tonight? It's on me."

"Yeah sure, where?"

Delia quickly told him the address and said she'd meet him there in thirty minutes or so. Then, she went to her room and found a tiny black dress that barely reached her knees, but it would have to do. She changed quickly, put on some makeup, and straightened up her hair as best as she could so that it flowed down her shoulder smoothly.

Thirty minutes later, she handed her keys to the valet in front of the restaurant and met Duke, who was already waiting for her inside. He had changed into a navy blue suit for the occasion.

"Antoine's, huh? Pretty upscale restaurant. I'm going to order the most expensive thing here," Duke teased. "But do you even have a reservation?"

"Don't worry about it." Delia walked past the line of guests waiting to get their tables straight to the front where the host was standing. "We don't need it."

"Miss Delia, what a surprise!" The host smiled enthusiastically upon seeing Delia.

"Hello, Ryouske, is my sister here?" Delia asked with a wicked grin.

"Yes, Aine just seated Miss Hara and her date, Mr. Kaiba. Would you like me to inform them that you're here?"

"No!" Delia said swiftly. "I was wondering, if there was a table near them but separated by the bushes?"

A weird glint came into Ryouske's eyes, but he voiced none of his suspicions. "Yes, please follow me." He took two menus and led the way after calling for another host to fill his spot.

"Come on!" Delia whispered to Duke and they followed Ryouske. She caught sight of Kaiba and Hara seated in a corner. However, they weren't alone. An older couple sat with them. _Hmm, guess he wasn't lying about the business associates._

"Wow, does your parents own the restaurant?" Duke asked as they sat down in their seat only several feet away from Hara and Kaiba. However, they were separated by a small platform topped with fake green bushes that ran along part of the restaurant.

"Yes," Delia answered absentmindedly. She wasn't really paying attention to Duke. Rather, she peeked over the bushes at Hara's table. Hara was laughing with the older couple while Kaiba had a soft smile on his face, an expression Delia had seen maybe once.

Duke noticed what she was doing and glanced over. He turned grim and petulant. "And I thought you wanted to eat with me. So it turned out you're following Kaiba."

Delia snorted. "Who'd care about that jerk? I'm worried about Hara. She's never been good with guys before. I just want to protect her in case Kaiba tries something. Besides, you know I love you."

"Yes, yes I know." Duke said and rested his chin in one hand. He had discarded the fake petulant demeanor in a second. "But really, what can he do in a public restaurant like this? What you should be worried about is what he'd do in that limo of his when they're alone."

Before Delia could answer, their waitress appeared with a trained smile. "Hello, my name is Keiko. I'll be your waitress today. What would you like to drink?"

"I'll get a pina colada," Duke ordered with a flirtatious smile that the waitress returned.

Delia suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "I'll get a caramel cream soda."

"OK. I'll be right back with your drinks."

As soon as the waitress left, Delia returned her attention to Hara. Then, Kaiba suddenly looked her way with a frown on his face. She ducked. Her heart thumped with anxiety. _He didn't see me. I don't think he saw me._

"Delia, what's good at this place?" Duke asked, flipping through the menu.

"Everything's good here, so just pick something." Delia sat up a bit, but not enough so that her head was taller than the bushes.

"Is this my punishment or something?" Duke suddenly asked with irritation.

"Punishment?"

"For losing to Kaiba."

"Oh no, if I wanted to punish you, I wouldn't invite you to dinner."

"If this was what you call dinner, I'd rather you didn't," Duke mumbled under his breath.

"What did you say?" She glared at him.

"Nothing. Nothing at all! Thanks for treating me. I'm eternally in your debt," he said with a nervous laugh.

"That's what I thought."

Keiko, their waitress, returned with their drinks. "Are you ready to order, or do you still need more time?"

"Yes, we're ready," Delia replied. "I'll have the fettuccine alfredo and he'll get the shrimp primavera."

Keiko looked at Duke questioningly, but Duke just nodded and smiled at her. "Thanks," he said as he handed her his menu.

Keiko totally batted her lashes at him before sauntering away. Delia frowned. "Do you flirt with every girl?"

"No, just the really pretty ones."

Delia rolled her eyes at Duke's charming grin. However, as they waited for their food, they started catching up again. Delia really missed Duke in the past year. He was one of the few people she trusted completely. They told each other everything, even their deepest and darkest secrets. She could do and say anything in front of him and he wouldn't judge her. However, today, for some reason, she didn't tell her feelings for Kaiba, only that every time she saw him she wanted to kill him, nothing else.

Delia kept tabs on Kaiba and Hara even while she ate her dinner. She didn't even taste most of her food while Duke exclaimed over how delicious it was. However, before Delia and Duke finished eating, Hara and Kaiba stood up along with the older couple.

"Shoot, they're leaving!" Delia said, putting down her fork and wiping her mouth with the napkin.

"What?" Duke sensed where this was going and started stuffing the food into his mouth.

"Come on. Let's go!" Delia stood up, but she still bent over so that Hara and Kaiba wouldn't see her. "We have to follow them," she hissed as she watched Hara and Kaiba leave with the older couple.

"OK. OK," Duke mumbled, his mouth full of food, but Delia didn't care as she dragged him across the restaurant toward the front door while staying low on the ground and ignoring all the weird looks the patrons sent their way.

"Damn it! They're gone!" Delia looked left and right once they were outside, but saw no sign of Hara and Kaiba or the limo. "It's all your fault." She glowered at Duke.

"Hey, you can't expect me to give up all that delicious food so you can stalk your sister on her date. And I still didn't finish," Duke grumbled as Delia told the valet to get their cars.

"Whatever. I'm going home. If anything happens to Hara, I'm going to hurt you."

"I'm so scared," Duke said mockingly.

"You!" Delia totally would've kicked his ass if their cars hadn't arrived just then. She took the keys from the valet and sighed. She forced a smile on her face. After all, she was happy to eat with Duke. "Anyway, thanks for coming to dinner. I'll see you later." She hugged him.

"Yeah, I'm almost glad you found me. Just don't call me next time you're going to spy on your sister's date." Duke ducked just in time before Delia's heel connected with his shin. From a much safer distance, he said, "And don't worry so much about Hara. She can take care of herself."

Delia snorted, a very unladylike sound, one that would earn her a good smack from her mom. "Right."

"See ya. Call me if anything comes up."

"I will. See you later."

Delia waved and drove off. She probably broke every speed limit law there was as she hurried home. She wanted to get back before Kaiba and Hara did, assuming that Kaiba was dropping Hara back home and not taking her somewhere else.

No one was home yet when Delia returned. She didn't turn on any lights and found her way to the living room, a process that earned her several bruises. She plopped down on the sofa and just waited, all the while thinking about the many different ways she could murder Kaiba if he had hurt Hara in some way. Twenty minutes later, Delia jumped up when she heard the sound of a car in front of the house. She went to the foyer and pulled back the curtain just a little so that she could see the outside.

The chauffeur held the door open as Kaiba climbed out, followed by Hara. Delia could see that Hara was talking animatedly from the way her mouth moved and the excited look on her face. Kaiba was still smiling. Delia thought that if he kept that up that smile would never leave his face. Maybe he would still have that smile tomorrow morning when she reported to work.

She shuddered at the thought.

Hara and Kaiba walked up to the front door. Delia drew back a little so that they wouldn't be able to see her but continued to watch through the window. Kaiba said something which made Hara blush. Then he actually leaned forward and kissed Hara softly on the forehead. Delia could almost see Hara's tomato-red face and steam coming out of her ears. Luckily Hara didn't faint on the spot, although for some strange reason Delia wished that she did. That would surely end their date with a bang.

As Kaiba left, Hara just stood rooted to the spot, watching his back disappearing from view. When she could no longer see the limo anymore, she finally entered the house. Delia waited until Hara was walking toward the stairs before speaking, "So how was your date?"

Startled, Hara jumped and whirled to face her with a scowl. "Delia! You're home! Why didn't you turn any light on?"

"What? I didn't want to. So, answer my question. How was your date with Mr. Hot Jerk?"

Hara looked away with embarrassment. Delia smirked, delighting in her sister's discomfort. She just couldn't find it in herself to be happy for Hara, no matter how she told herself that she should. Hara had finally found herself a man worthy of her.

"It wasn't really a date. We ate dinner with one of his business associates and came straight back here," Hara replied softly.

"Uh-huh." Delia kept her tone sarcastic, as if she didn't believe Hara for a minute. She didn't need Hara to know that she had stalked them and seen everything. However, she couldn't resist saying the next sentence as she walked up to Hara and patted her on the shoulder, "But that was a really beautiful kiss. It's really too bad that he only kissed you on the forehead. Maybe next time you could show him how a real kiss is done."

Mortified, Hara just gaped after her. Delia was already halfway up the stairs when Hara finally recovered her wits and shouted, "Delia Yasune, I'm going to kill you!"

Delia simply laughed and ran.

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**A/N: Please REVIEW!!!!!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The next day, Delia was a woman with a mission.

It was a day much like the one before. She was still motivated to do her work, so she finished half of her lessons about two hours into the day. Kaiba was, as usual, sitting in his chair, working. He hadn't moved from his spot since the day began. Apparently, from the way he kept running his hand through his hair, he was frustrated about something. He had a frown on his face as he stared at the computer screen in front of him. He didn't notice at all that Delia was looking at him with a contemplative gaze.

Delia stretched in her chair and then stood up. She walked around the room, examining the various decorations hanging on the walls. She kept walking back and forth, sometimes looking at the paintings on the wall and other times examining the books lining the bookshelf. All the while she was planning on how to best accomplish her mission.

Finally, about ten minutes later, Kaiba noticed her movements and looked up from what he was doing with a frown even larger than the one before, if that was possible. Last night Delia had feared that Kaiba would wear a smile on his face the entire day, while today she feared that the frown would never disappear. She couldn't quite make up her mind which one she would actually prefer. Maybe the frown. It somehow suited him more in her opinion.

"What are you doing?" he asked, annoyed.

"What? I'm taking a break. Don't you know it's not good for your health to sit for the entire day? You should get up and move around more," Delia replied blithely with a warm smile.

Kaiba looked at her suspiciously. "You've done your relaxing. Now get back to work."

Normally, Delia would've returned to her chair with some grumbling, but today, she was feeling rather rebellious, at least more so than usual. Not to mention, she had something else on her mind today, and the thought of accomplishing it made her feel…She wasn't sure what. Giddy. Yes, she felt giddy. Thus, she walked behind his desk and invaded his usual personal space. Kaiba didn't say anything but observed her with watchful eyes, following her every movement.

"You know, I've been thinking," Delia started, speaking in a very friendly tone of voice.

"About what?" His wary expression made her feel like giggling.

Delia didn't want to tell him yet. Instead, she spun his chair around so that he once again faced the front. Before he could move, she had her hands on his shoulders and started kneading.

Kaiba stiffened. "What are you doing?"

"What does it feel like I'm doing? I'm giving you a massage," Delia said crossly. Almost as an afterthought, she added, "Man, you're really tense. Just relax."

Surprising, he did, sitting back in his chair and letting her do as she pleased. "Is there a reason you're being so magnanimous today?" he asked.

"Wow, magnanimous, such a big word." Kaiba didn't respond to her jibe, but she could imagine the scowl that must be on his face. "Not really," she replied to his original question.

"Am I to believe that you don't have any ulterior motives?"

"What? Can't I just feel like being nice?"

His silence was answer enough to her questions. As Delia continued to massage his shoulders, she found herself noticing just how nice he felt under her hands. When she suddenly felt the urge to explore his body further with her hands, and not just massaging his shoulders, she spoke quickly to distract her wayward thoughts. "Well, I do have something to say."

"I knew it." He sounded very much triumphant.

She frowned. So what if she had an ulterior motive? Who didn't in this world? "Hara told me you took her to dinner with your associates."

"Yes, what of it?"

"What of it?" Frustrated, she whirled the chair around so that they once again faced one another. "You don't take a girl to meet your business associates on your first date!"

Kaiba had an amused expression on his handsome face that she wanted to wipe off. He crossed his legs and said, "Who said that I was taking Hara to a date?"

"If that wasn't a date, then are you leading her on purposely?"

This time, he actually looked confused. His brows drew together. "I don't see how I am leading her on. I simply needed a woman to eat dinner with a very important business associate of mine. Hara is intelligent and good at what she does. I thought she made a fitting candidate. That's why I asked her."

"So you never meant it as a date?"

"No."

"Then you shouldn't have bought her flowers! And you shouldn't have kissed her on the forehead!"

He lifted an elegant eyebrow. "So you were spying?"

Delia realized her mistake at once. However, she had to force her way through this blunder. "So what if I saw? You were on the doorstep and I was inside the house. It's not like I purposely watched you kiss Hara."

"I didn't exactly kiss Hara."

"Oh? Then what do you call that?"

Kaiba didn't answer her question. He suddenly tugged her arm so that she fell forward. Then she found herself half sprawled on his lap.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice coming out in a squeak. She tried to stand up, but Kaiba had a strong grip on her shoulder so that she couldn't. Instead, her back was against the hard armrest of his chair, her hip sitting on his lap.

Kaiba had a smirk as he leaned over her. Her heartbeat picked up as if expecting what was going to happen next. "I'm going to show you a real kiss. Then you'll know what I give Hara wasn't a kiss at all," he said, his voice smooth like dark velvet, sliding over her skin and raising goose bumps.

"No! D…"

Her protest died as his lips touched hers softly, tentatively. Her eyes, traitors they were, fluttered shut of their own accord. His lips were smooth and firm. The tender way he kissed her almost felt like he was exploring. Yet, slowly, the fire of passion ignited somewhere deep in her womb and spread to the rest of her body as he embraced her tighter so that she could feel every hard line of his body under his clothes. All thoughts of resistance left her mind. Her hands, which earlier she had raised to push him away, now buried themselves in his luxurious hair.

When his tongue gently probed against her mouth, she let him in. He tasted her like some delicacy specifically made for him. She kissed him back, her tongue dueling with his. Somewhere in her mind, she heard the little bit of noises she was making, little hums and moans. His smell surrounded her completely, some sort of cologne that was purely male and called out to every feminine part of her, urging her to move against him provocatively.

Then, all of a sudden, he stopped and lifted his head. Delia whimpered. "Now, that was a kiss," he said through clenched teeth, his smirk gone.

She just stared at him, uncomprehending. Then everything came rushing back like a wave.

Smack!

"How dare you?" She yelled and leaped out of his lap. Her hand burned from the slap. She hoped his cheek hurt even more.

No emotion showed on his face, although the fires of passion lit up his usual cool eyes. He looked at her, as collected as ever, as if waiting for her storm to blow over. It was a small satisfaction she felt when he rubbed his cheek that was swiftly turning red. "I don't see why you are so upset."

"Why? Do you even have to ask? I didn't need you to show me what a kiss was. And what about Hara? How is she going to feel if she finds out?" Her voice had gone beyond yelling to screaming at this point. She was suffering from one of those times when she was so blinded by fury that she no longer thought about what she was saying. Words just came pouring out of her mouth.

"You are overreacting," he pointed out evenly. "Is it because you enjoyed it?"

His words somehow penetrated the red haze of fury blinding her. She found herself spattering excuses, "I…I didn't…How…"

Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by the knock on the door.

"Come in," Kaiba called, as if he hadn't been facing a murderous female just minutes ago.

Hara walked in and stopped. Her gaze flickered from Delia to Kaiba. She doubtlessly sensed the tension in the atmosphere as she inquired, "Is everything all right?"

"Yes. Did you need something?" Kaiba's composure was flawless as he spoke. Delia wanted to smash in his handsome face. Instead, she avoided looking at Hara and strode back to her desk. As of now, guilt was starting to grow and gnaw at her insides, even though what had happened wasn't really her fault.

But, why did he kiss her? Was it only to show her a real kiss, as he had said? Yet, that was way out of line of him. She didn't need him to show her a real kiss. She had kissed plenty of the opposite sex in her eighteen years of life, thank you very much. In fact, he had no right to do what he did. How could he kiss her when he knew exactly how Hara felt about him?

Yet, the most disturbing part of it was that she really enjoyed it. No matter how she tried to hide it, she couldn't deny that fact. If Kaiba hadn't stopped when he had, that little display would've gone a lot farther than just a mere kiss. Even now, she could still feel his warm breath whispering against her skin and his body imprinted against hers.

Oh god, she must be insane. How could she find pleasure in a kiss with a man whom she didn't even like one bit? In fact, she despised him. He was arrogant and rude. He insulted her with every chance he had. She couldn't possibly have any feelings for him.

And lastly, there was Hara, who was in love with the bastard. She couldn't do this to Hara. Not again.

_Ahh!! Why? Why?_ Delia screamed in her head. She glared at Kaiba, who was deeply engrossed in his talk with Hara. Ever since she'd met him, her life had gone down the drain. She was absolutely convinced that he was Devil's incarnate sent to punish her, for what she wasn't sure. No other reason made sense.

Since she couldn't really do anything about the kiss, and nothing perturbed Kaiba, Delia focused her frustrations elsewhere. She attacked her work zealously, like a woman possessed. She pushed everything else to the corner of her mind, never to be brought up again, and concentrated on studying. Once again, she finished reading her textbooks two hours earlier than usual. She didn't even say one word as she left the office to join Hara next door.

However, if she thought staying in the same room with Kaiba was bad, she had another thing coming. The next three hours was the worst three hours of her life. For the life of her, she couldn't act normal around Hara. Every time Hara even moved anywhere near to her, she would flinch unconsciously. She almost screamed out what had happened a dozen times or so in those three hours, but every time the words stuck in her throat.

She couldn't risk it. She couldn't hurt Hara. She didn't want Hara to hate her, nor did she want Hara to hate Kaiba. Talking about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

In the next few days, in order to avoid Kaiba, Delia would get to the office before sunrise and finish her study for the day, so that by the time Kaiba arrived she was already in the office with Hara. She still didn't know what to say to him. A silent fury burned inside of her, but she didn't know how to get rid of it. Slapping Kaiba hadn't helped. Maybe if she threw him out of the window? Then again, he wasn't worth going to jail for.

Hara was completely oblivious to everything around her. She still mooned over Kaiba every day. Delia found that with a little practice she could act a lot more normal in front of her twin than in front of Kaiba, who by the way, was still as cool as ever. Delia was seriously beginning to suspect that he really just kissed her for the sake of showing her a real kiss. No strings attached.

She should be happy if that was true. Then why did she often feel disappointed whenever that thought came up?

Ironically, throughout all this, she found solace in all the work that Kaiba piled upon her. If she just concentrated on the work, she didn't need to think about anything else, so that was exactly what she did. She got up early every morning and worked late every night so that by the time she went to bed, she was so tired that she didn't even have to strength to think about anything but sleep.

Sadly, this couldn't last very long. Delia was exhausted mentally and physically when Friday rolled around. She even had dark circles under her eyes.

"Delia, I'm leaving. You coming?" Hara asked her Friday night around six.

Delia looked up from her computer screen. Wow, she had totally lost track of time. Although she was dying to crawl in bed and get some much needed sleep, she still needed to finish what she was doing. Surprisingly, when she really applied herself to the work, she found herself enjoying it. "No. You go ahead. I want to finish this before I leave."

"Delia, are you all right? You've been acting weird this entire week. Did something happen?"

_If only you know._ "No, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"If you say so," Hara said slowly and left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Delia returned to her work, focusing on the dimensions, the colors, and the layers of the design until it was perfect. She finally finished it about an hour later. With a satisfied smile, she turned off the computer and stretched.

"You're still here?"

Kaiba's voice startled her. "What are you doing here?" Delia asked accusingly.

"My secretary had to leave early, but she received a message that you need to catch a plane to England tonight."

"England? Why?"

"Something about a party."

"In England?"

Delia stared at him, dumbfound. She would've thought that this was a bad joke of some kind if she wasn't talking with Kaiba, who probably couldn't crack a joke to save his life. Then her cellphone rang. She fumbled in her purse for her phone. When she finally found it, she saw that it was Hara.

"Hey Hara, what's up?"

"Delia, where are you?" Hara shouted so loudly from the other end that Delia had to move the phone away from her ear.

"I'm still at Kaiba Corp, why?"

"Haven't Mom told you about the party Dad's having tomorrow at London? The one where the British royal family will show up?"

"Really? I don't remember." Delia seriously didn't remember. She was probably zoned out when her mom told her anyway. However, she was used to this rush before one of her dad's parties when she just go where her parents tell her to go.

"Well, now you know! Hurry up! The last plane of the night for England leaves in two hours!"

Hara hang up before Delia could say anything else. "Well, I guess I'll be spending my weekend in England meeting the royal family." Delia shrugged as she slid the phone back into her purse. She should be excited. She'd always wanted to meet Prince William and Prince Henry, but she couldn't seem to muster any enthusiasm.

"I can take you to the airport."

She glanced at Kaiba and wondered where this hospitality was coming from. This was the first time they'd exchanged more than a "hello" since the kiss a few days ago.

She shook her head. "My convertible will be faster than your limo," she said with a smile and strolled past him toward the elevator. "Oh, and I found something wrong with the last section of designs on the portable arena. You might want to check it out."

She savored the shocked look on Kaiba's face as the elevator arrived. "Have a good weekend, Kaiba." She waved and stepped into the elevator.

Delia rubbed her forehead as a killing headache set in. When she got in the car, she sat there for ten minutes, waiting for the worst of the headache to pass. She finally started the car when she could once again focus her thoughts on something other than the pain. She really needed to sleep more. Three hours of sleep everyday was just not enough for her.

She pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. However, halfway there she suddenly realized that she was supposed to head to the airport and catch a plane to London. She pulled over to the side of the highway and checked her GPS. The airport was actually on the other side of town. Damn it!

Turning around, Delia forced herself to keep her eyes open as she drove. She was just so damned tired she could've fallen asleep right there with no problem. Maybe she should've accepted Kaiba's offer after all.

As she drove, she was thinking about just how nice it would feel to snuggle under her blanket in her bed after a long relaxing bath. That sounds so good.

She yawned as she turned left.

The next few seconds flashed by like lightning.

She was all of a sudden blinded by the light that shone straight in her eyes. Before she could utter a sound, her head slammed into the steering wheel. The sound of the car horn blaring and the screech of car brakes never registered in her mind.

Instantly, everything turned black as she lost consciousness.

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**A/N: Please REVIEW!!!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but this chapter was seriously hard to write, so it took me a while, and it's not even that long -_-''. Anyway, enjoy!!!**

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**Chapter Seven**

Gradually, Delia's senses returned. The first thing she felt was the killer headache that almost sent her straight back into the darkness. However, she overcame her brain's protest. When she tried to move, she realized that she couldn't feel her left arm for some odd reason.

_What on earth happened?_ Delia opened her eyes with great effort. Her eyelids felt like they were glued together. Her headache was getting worse. As she took in her surroundings by slowly moving her head around, she noticed that she wasn't in her bedroom at home.

The bed she was in had a high canopy and what she thought may be silk sheets, though her senses were still in disarray so she couldn't be certain. Her bed at home wasn't this big and definitely did not have the canopy. She rather felt like she was in a fairy tale of some sort, like Sleeping Beauty, except she was missing her prince.

Anyway, the room she currently occupied was covered in darkness, but with the moon's soft lighting she could see that it had none of her band posters. Instead, classical oil paintings decorated the walls that were painted a deep blue. To her right were two French doors that led out to a balcony. She could also see another door that she thought may have led to either the bathroom or a closet.

She suddenly felt uncomfortable just lying in bed, so against all her good judgments, she struggled to sit up. It took her maybe five minutes to accomplish this task. By then, she was sweating and breathless. At least she found out why she couldn't feel her left arm. It was set up in a cast. However, none of that compared to the shock she felt when she realized that she was no longer wearing her old clothes but was instead clad in a black silk nightgown, one usually worn by the Victoria's Secrets models on their commercials. She felt rather exposed and pulled up the silk sheets to cover herself with her right hand.

"You're awake."

Her head snapped to the direction of the deep masculine voice that sent a shiver down her spine. A mistake. Everything in front of her blurred into colorful swirls. If her back wasn't against the wall, she would've collapsed right there.

"Why am I here?" Delia asked once her brain allowed her to form coherent thoughts again through all the pounding. She saw him standing in the darkness, dressed casually in a black turtle neck and a pair of black slacks. The moon cast a sharp shadow over his features.

"You slammed into my limo," he said offhandedly as if they were talking about the weather and not a car accident that could cost him hundreds of thousands.

"I what?" Her mind apparently wasn't ready to comprehend his words or its implications.

Kaiba sighed. He stepped out of the shadows. In the harsh light of the moon, he looked rather tired and not as powerful and confident as she remembered. "It was two streets from Kaiba Corp when some car slammed into the side of the limo. I got out and saw that it was you. You ran a red light."

"Oh." Delia nodded. That was an explanation she could understand. "I'm sorry, but where am I?"

"This is my place. After the accident, I reached Hara just before she got on the plane to London. She and I both agreed that since you weren't seriously hurt, it's better for you to stay here instead of at the hospital. You only needed some stitches on your forehead and a cast for your arm."

"Where's Hara?"

"She's in the next room, sleeping. She stayed up for the entire day yesterday."

Delia nodded once again. She was tired. Her eyes struggled to stay open. It had taken most of her strength to sit up. Now just focusing on his words was becoming hard. "What about my parents?"

"They are worried, but they can't make it back because of the hurricane that's coming. It's another reason why you're staying here. Your parents thought that leaving you two alone during the hurricane wasn't a good idea."

"Yeah, that's definitely not a good idea," Delia whispered, more to herself than anything. Both Hara and she were terrified of storms. It was one of the few things they had in common other than their physical features. She could almost see the two of them huddling in one bed screaming with each other in terror if they were left alone during the hurricane. It brought a sardonic smile to her lips.

"Did I miss anything?" Kaiba's words brought her attention back to the present. He looked genuinely curious. Was it her, or did he seem nice, even approachable, tonight? He hadn't insulted her once and answered her questions without any complaint. This was certainly strange.

"Nothing," she replied. "How long was I out of it?"

"About two days." He sat on the edge of the bed. His intense blue eyes were focused on her, not missing anything in its forceful perusal. Delia felt discomfort creeping up her spine at his proximity. Her brain picked the perfect time to remember the kiss they had shared days earlier. Her face reddened at the memory. Thankfully, the room was too dark for Kaiba to notice the difference.

"You should go back to sleep," Kaiba said softly.

Delia didn't argue. She was exhausted. As she lied down again, with a little help from Kaiba, something occurred to her. "Were you here the entire time?" As soon as she asked the question, she realized how ridiculous that notion was. There was no way he would've been here the entire time.

"Yes."

His answer startled her. Her first reaction was that it was a lie, but why would he even bother? He knew that it didn't matter to her if he stayed or not. "You shouldn't have. I'm sure you were busy."

He said nothing. The silence of the room slowly lulled her down into the darkness. However, when the bed shifted as Kaiba stood up to leave, she whispered, "Don't go…" Even while she was semi-conscious, she didn't want to be alone. For some reason, tonight, Kaiba's presence was very reassuring, as if nothing could harm her if he was here.

When Delia woke the next time, it was still dark outside, so she couldn't tell if another day had already passed. Outside, the rain beat on the windows of the balcony doors while the strong wind rattled the frames. She sat up slowly and looked around before realizing that she was searching for someone. However, he wasn't there. Even though she could hardly see in the darkness and he could just be hiding like before, she was certain that she was alone in the room.

At the same time, she recalled what she had said to him as she fell asleep, and heat crept up her face. _God, he probably thinks there is something wrong with me! But then again… he already thinks I'm stupid, so I guess it doesn't really matter either way. _

She sighed, feeling depressed. However, she didn't want to stay in bed anymore, so she got out of bed slowly. There were no more headaches, so she must be doing fine. She left the room to find herself at the end of a long hallway. She couldn't really see that far ahead because it was rather dark, considering only a few lights were on. She walked down the hallway as fast as her body would allow. As she came up to the next door, she heard soft voices and recognized both of them.

Since the door was open just a little bit, Delia looked inside to see Hara and Seto sitting beside one another in front of a computer. They were talking very seriously about something, but Hara had that blissful smile on her face. Seto also looked relaxed and seemed to enjoy the conversation as well. As much as she hated to admit it, she was jealous.

_Oh man, what am I thinking?_ Delia shouted at herself. This was Hara, her twin sister. She'd never been jealous of Hara before, but that was a lie, she suddenly realized. She had always been jealous of Hara, who was prettier, smarter, and the one her parents loved.

_I must've hit my head or something during the accident. That has to be it, or why am I thinking this way?_ _Jealous of Hara? And all because of a guy? You've gotta be kidding me. _

Delia shook her head to clear away the envious thoughts. She scooted away from the door carefully, making sure they won't hear her, and headed down the hallway, trying to get the image of Kaiba looking so relaxed and gentle with Hara out of her mind.

After a few minutes, she finally found the stairs and walked down. She didn't notice anything around her except for the double doors leading outside. She flung open the doors with more force than she had meant to. The strong force of wind that came through knocked her back a few steps. It was pouring outside while lightning flashed every few second or so, followed by the sound of thunder.

However, she didn't care. Somehow, just within minutes, she started hating her life. Just what had happened? She had always had an optimistic view of life, but now that she looked at it another way, everything about her life seemed wrong.

Unable to stand the confusing thoughts flooding her brain, she rushed outside in the rain and screamed as loudly as she could, glad that the howling wind and rumbling thunder drowned out her misery.

What she really wished was that it would take away her new-found feeling for Seto Kaiba.

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Delia didn't remember what exactly happened afterwards because it all felt like a dream. Someone must have seen her drenched in the rain outside after she collapsed. Whoever it was must've taken her inside again and put her to bed. Then her skin started to burn, but inside she was cold to the core. Time passed in strange intervals as she drifted in and out of consciousness, sometimes hearing distant voices.

After a while, darkness enveloped her. When she became conscious again, Kaiba was sitting in a chair beside the bed, sleeping. His hair was somewhat unkempt, his clothing wrinkled. This was the first time she had ever seen the meticulous Seto Kaiba like this. It made him a lot more human.

Slowly, she sat up, careful not to wake him up and got out of bed. Outside, the rain had stopped and the sky had cleared away. She wondered how many days had passed since she had collapsed in the rain and who had found her. She opened the balcony doors and leaned against the rail. The night was beautiful. There was not a bit of cloud outside. It was a full moon and stars littered the sky, making everything in the world look magical.

Delia shivered as a gentle breeze blew by. Then she felt someone wrap a long coat around her.

"You shouldn't be outside." His words whispered over her skin, causing goosebumps that had nothing to do with the chilly air.

"Did I wake you?" She turned and moved away from him. "Why are you still here? What happened?"

"You ask too many questions," he said and leaned against the rail.

The top two buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned, revealing his tanned throat. She had the strange desire to unbutton his shirt little by little and ran her hands over his hard chest. And because this made her hate herself, and because he had no right to stand there looking sexy while her entire world was turning upside down, she snapped with all the nastiness she could muster, "You don't have to answer them!"

"I didn't answer them, did I?" he said simply, ignoring her bitterness. But his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil. "But what were you thinking, going outside when there is a hurricane?"

"I didn't know there was a hurricane and I just felt like it!" she answered defiantly. Who did he think he was? He had no right to scold her. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have had the accident in the first place.

"You almost died," he hissed angrily, his voice no longer calm.

"And your point is?" She stared at him as haughtily as possible.

"Since you're obviously OK, I'll be leaving," he said stiffly and turned to leave.

"You forgot your coat!" Delia shrugged out of the coat and regretted it the instant when the warmth left her body, but she refused to let him see her weakness as she fought back a shiver. Instead, she dangled the coat in front of her and lifted her eyebrows at him when he stopped walking and hesitated.

It took Seto a second to decide what to do. Standing there, with nothing on but the thin nightgown, she had no idea that she was temptation personified. With his mind set, he strode back toward her. However, rather than taking the coat she offered, he hauled her up against him not too gently and kissed her, something he'd desperately craved ever since that moment in his office when she had lit the fire under his skin.

Shocked, and crushed against him, Delia was powerless to stop him and the desire that suddenly sprung up between them. His lips were hard and commanding, and ruthless in their taking. She was kissing him back before she realized that she was responding to his highhandedness. But she had no time, no thoughts, of resisting. The coat dropped from her lifeless fingers. She was terribly aware of his warmth that seeped through the sheer material of her gown and wrapping itself around her, so that she thought she would never be cold again in her life.

Seto felt her give in as her mouth opened in invitation. He didn't waste any time as he angled his head and feasted. Plundered. She tasted exactly as he remembered, soft and sweet lips, with a hint of cotton candy. He gloried in her supple softness and drew her closer against his hard frame. This was what he knew would happen when his instincts for survival had went on alert the moment she'd bumped into him at school. That time in his office was just a taste. This time he intended to do much more.

Delia's head swam pleasantly. She'd known kisses, had kissed plenty of men before, but never one like this. Heat spread through her veins that had nothing to do with physical warmth. Her knees gave way so that she could only lean against him. Her hands seemed to have a will of their own as they tangled in his hair, pulling him even closer against her if that was possible.

Eventually the kiss slowed, not before either of them was satisfied, but because Seto pulled back, knowing that he should go no further, not while she still disliked him with a passion to match the one they'd ignited with their kiss. But she made it no easier on him with swollen lips and stormy eyes full of desire.

"We have to stop," he touched his forehead to hers and said with a husky voice.

Delia took a deep breath. He was still too close for her peace of mind. "Yes. That shouldn't have happened."

He looked as if he was going to argue, but instead said, "It is late. You should go back to bed."

"I think I will."

Neither of them moved. Delia couldn't, considering Seto still had his arms locked around her. He didn't look like he was ready to move, and she had no wish to ask him. Despite everything, it felt nice to have him hold her. And it was to both of their chagrin when he finally let go of her and stepped back.

"Good night, Delia."

"Night, Kaiba."

Once again, he had that look as if he wanted to say something, but held back again. Instead, he shook his head and left without another word.

Delia watched him disappear into the darkness of the room and heard the door clicked behind him. She wasn't sure what had happened, but that kiss changed something inside of her, but for better or for worse, she had no idea.

She could only wait to find out.

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**A/N: please REVIEW!!!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry for the long absence, but this might become my normal updating schedule. A chapter per month. Maybe faster once I finish "Chance." Anyway, thanks for the reviews!!!**

**Chapter Eight**

"Wow, you look…"

Duke was momentarily speechless as he stared at the goddess standing at the top of the stairs in a cerulean silk dress that hugged her athletic body at all the right places. Her hair was held in a complicated up-do with tendrils of it framing her pixie-like face and her graceful neck, which was also adorned with a pearl necklace.

"Fake? Like a Barbie on her best day?" Delia asked with a grimace as she looked down at herself.

"No. Absolutely stunning." Duke's eyes followed her down the stairs. "I didn't know you had it in you," he said still with that look of awe in his eyes as he took her gloved hand.

"Well, tell that to the team of make-up artists my mother hired."

"I'll keep that in mind." He flashed a quick grin. "Now, are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Delia straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing," she whispered as she let Duke lead her into the grand ballroom of the hotel.

Today was the annual charity ball held by her parents. Anyone who was anyone in the Japanese world was here, not to mention all of her parents' business partners from across the globe. She pasted on her best smile as she made her way through the guests, stopping here and there to exchange a word, acting as the perfect hostess's daughter. She wouldn't have done it, if her mother had not promised to give her two weeks of vacation free from any offices and namely, Seto Kaiba.

The last few weeks had been a strain on her nerves. After that kiss on the balcony, she wasn't sure how to act around him, except he acted perfectly normal around her, so they somehow returned to their antagonistic relationship. However, they were both extremely aware of one another's presence, which made staying in the same room very stressful. It was no wonder that lately Kaiba always had a meeting or two to occupy his time almost every single day, so she'd rarely seen him or talked to him.

"Delia, is that you?"

Delia whirled around at those words. A big grin split across her face once she saw who it was.

"Jyn!" she exclaimed. Forgetting all propriety, she enveloped the person in a giant hug, which was returned with equal enthusiasm.

"Wow, I almost didn't recognize you at first," Jyn said once she let go of him. Standing at six feet tall, with midnight black hair and moss green eyes, and a model for Calvin Klein's new line of men's fall fashion, Jyn was every girl's dream. "Since when did you turn into a lady?"

"Since my mom bribed me with two weeks of vacation from school," she said with a grimace, but then her smile returned. "Let's not talk about me. How've you been? And where's that brother of yours?"

"Right here behind you."

She whirled around again and laughed when she almost tripped over her dress. "Kirk!" She gave the same hug on the younger brother as she bestowed on the older. Just a few inches shorter than Jyn, Kirk shared the eyes with his brother but had dark brown hair. The two brothers seriously made a picture standing next to each other, as shown by the covetous eyes thrown in their direction from many of the female guests.

"Good to see you too. And Duke too! I'm almost glad I showed up," Kirk teased.

Delia hit him on the arm, but they stood there and chatted, catching up with one another. Soon, one by one, her other old friends automatically found their way to them. It wasn't hard, considering Delia was having trouble suppressing her laughter.

"Delia!"

All of them stopped talking and turned to see Hara fighting the crowd of people to get to them with Kaiba behind her. Again, Delia observed just how good-looking Kaiba was, even in a tux; no, especially in the black tux. Jyn fidgeted next to her. No wonder, since he was the one who broke Hara's heart four years ago.

"Don't worry. If I forgave you, then Hara did too," she whispered to Jyn because she'd almost killed him when she found out what he did. The others grinned.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Hara literally glowed with happiness. She then introduced Kaiba to the rest, who had the cold, arrogant, and composed expression, which Delia was sure alienated every one of her pals. As Hara talked, she pulled him away from the group.

"What's wrong with you? Can't you be a little nicer? I mean, if you're going out with Hara, you have to be nice to her friends too," she hissed.

"They're you and your sister's friends, not mine," he said calmly. "Besides, who ever said I was going out with Hara?"

Delia blinked. "Well, I assumed you're here as her date, right?"

"No. I actually came here by myself because I received an invitation. I merely met Hara on the way."

"Oh, well, that…" She was at a loss for words. Yet, she straightened upon seeing the amusement in his eyes. "Still, try to be nice."

She was about to head back to the group when Kaiba grasped her arm. "I need to talk to you," he demanded in a tone that brooked no argument.

She threw an annoyed glare at him, but upon seeing all her friends still talking with Hara, she nodded. They took the elevator to the lounge on the second floor, where they could be alone.

"OK, so what do you want to talk about?" she asked, folding her arms and leaning against the wall in a totally unladylike pose.

"Did you spend the night with Devlin?" he asked as if he had all the right to know.

She stared for a second before answering coolly, "That's none of your business." Why the hell did he care? Sure, she'd come to Tokyo with Duke yesterday and spent the day with him seeing all the sights, but Kaiba didn't need to know that.

"Answer me!" He lost his composure for all of a second and she saw the ruthless man strapped under the calm façade. However, she decided to risk it and play his little game.

"What if I did? Why do you care?"

"I said I don't like you spending time with Devlin before!"

"And why should I listen to you?" Too late, she realized she and Kaiba was merely inches apart. She tried to step back, but to no avail since her back was already against the wall. Her heart leaped when he leaned forward and placed each of his hands on the wall next to her shoulder, so she was trapped in that small space between him and the wall.

She literally stopped breathing as he hissed, "I don't care if you listen, because either way, I won't let you be with him."

He moved in closer so that his lips brushed the corner of her mouth.

"No, don't…" she barely had time to say the words before his mouth crushed against hers.

Crushed against him, she was powerless to stop him from ravishing her. And ravish her he did, there was no other words for that hot, hungry and wild kiss. She never had a chance or the will to resist. She opened her mouth and he plundered. His hands had locked around her waist as she molded herself against him.

Pleasure bloomed, slow and tempting, until she wanted more.

Seto could feel the fire in his blood urging him to take. She was pliant and unresisting against him, her lips soft and welcoming, but they were at a ball, and anyone could walk in on them at any moment. It was that sobering thought that pulled him back from the tempting haven of her lips.

He slowed down, hoping that would cool the heat between them, but she whimpered and clung on to him. His lips curved at her enthusiasm as he managed to free himself for a breath of air and whispered, "We have to stop."

Seeing the glazed and passionate look in her eyes made his restraint worth every moment. He watched with amusement as thoughts slowly returned to her mind and her eyes narrowed down to slivers.

"How…how could you…?" The words stuck in Delia's throat as she glowered at him, still completely flushed from the kiss.

"You didn't seem to care a minute ago."

"I…" Another wave of heat crept up her face. "Hara, she likes you so much! We can't do this to her! Besides, she and you suit on another so much better than you and me!"

"If that was the case, I would've asked Hara here and kissed her."

She blinked, startled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I like you more." He rolled his eyes. "Why do you think I told you to stay away from Devlin?"

Delia wondered if there was another girl who'd had a guy confesses to her like he was ready to kill somebody. Yet, she was happy, deliriously happy. The smile almost reached her eyes before she thought of Hara.

"No. You can't. We can't!" She heard herself the words even though what she wanted was the complete opposite. "It's not fair to Hara. I can't hurt her like this, not again…"

She felt as if she was trapped in a bad romance movie. Two sisters falling in love with the same man; one's open about her feelings while the other one hides it; the man loves the latter but the girl doesn't want to hurt her sister. Yeah, she could almost see how this ends—with neither of the sisters getting the guy.

"Hurt her? What about you?" Kaiba demanded.

"Me? I'm fine. I can handle it. Hara's different. She's too emotional."

She thought back to that time when Hara almost hurt herself after Jyn broke up with her. Hara could be a lunatic sometimes, so she didn't want to risk the same thing with Kaiba.

"Kaiba, please…" she begged.

"Seto, call me Seto," he said, ignoring her plea.

She wasn't sure what to make of that, but nodded. He was about to say something more, doubtless to convince her that Hara was not the one for him, the elevator rang and the door opened. Duke and Kirk stepped out and looked at them.

"So here you are. Your parents are about to make their speech, so they asked us to find you," Duke said and pulled Delia toward him while giving Kaiba a death glare.

Kirk didn't say anything but only looked at the two of them suspiciously, fixing a conspicuous glare on Seto, as if saying "I'm watching you."

Delia didn't have the guts to look back at Seto as she followed Duke and Kirk and somehow managed to avoid him for the rest of the night.

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On Monday, Delia dreaded going back to work at Kaiba Corp. She was supposed to have two weeks off, but when she brought up that point with her dear mother, she was reminded that they never decided on when those two weeks were, so she'd have to wait until she showed some progress in her work and studies. She should've known better than to trust her mother.

Now she'd have to face Seto again. It was funny how easily she changed from thinking of him as Kaiba to Seto. She'd tried not to think about him the entire weekend, but it didn't work. Hara also didn't help by talking to her about Seto all the time. Sometimes she just wanted to tell Hara the truth, but whenever she was about to, she always recalled the time when Jyn broke up with Hara. It wasn't something she wanted to do to her sister again.

When the elevator stopped, she took a deep breath and straightened. She kept telling herself that she'll get through this. After all, the worst was Hara finding out. It couldn't be worse than last time.

Yet, she still wasn't prepared enough when the door opened to reveal Seto and Hara standing on the other side. Her heartbeat picked up painfully as Seto slanted a look her way.

"Good morning, Delia!" Hara said with her usual cheer.

"Morning. Where are you off to?"

"We have a meeting with the marketing department. Seto wants my take on some things."

"Oh, well, enjoy the meeting."

Delia was very careful to leave the elevator by Hara's side. Seto hadn't so much said a word to her in this entire time, which was just as well. They had nothing to say to one another anyway. She didn't want him to start persuading her to accept what was between them, because she had a feeling she'd cave in eventually.

She sighed when the elevator closed behind her. That went rather well, though the atmosphere was quite tense, not that Hara noticed anything.

She smiled and shook her head at Hara's obliviousness as she headed to the office. At least she'd be able to work in peace for a few hours before them come back.

It turned out Delia miscalculated just how long she'd have time to work in peace. Seto didn't come back the entire day, meaning she didn't see him at all. And when she did see him, at around six o'clock, she was promptly informed, by Hara, that Seto had invited her to another business dinner.

Delia shrugged and told herself that she didn't care. She returned home just as usual, but for some reason the lights were on.

_That's weird._ She and Hara were usually the first ones home every day since her dad was never home and her mother always gets back around midnight or so. However, once she entered the living room, she grinned at the sight that greeted her.

"Daddy, what are you doing here?"

"Delia, sweetheart, welcome home." Her dad stood up from his seat on the sofa and threw open his arms. She ran to him without hesitation and hugged him back. Oh, how she missed him!

"Welcome back!"

Even though Daddy wasn't home most of the time, she and Hara still talked to him two or three times a week on the phone and he made sure to come back every year during their birthday and always brought them tons of presents. In addition, he randomly sends home exotic items he'd found during his travels to them.

Once Delia had gotten over her initial excitement at Daddy's return, she saw the two strangers sitting on the sofa. One of them was an older woman probably in her twenties, and the other one was a youth like herself.

"Hi, I'm Delia Yasune." She extended her hand in greeting.

"Hello, I am Ishizu Ishtar." The woman shook her hand and turned to the young man sitting beside her. "And this is my brother, Marik Ishtar."

"Nice to meet you." The two of them shook hands.

"Delia, sit down," her father said and gestured to the seat beside him.

"Sure," she said, confused. Usually, when Daddy had guests, she'd often been told to go to her room and behave herself, so why did he want her to stay this time?

Soon, her dad explained that Ishizu and Marik were archeologists. They had found a new site in Egypt that might uncover something new about Ancient Egypt. They were here to talk to him about sponsoring the excavation.

"But Dad, since when were you interested in archeology?"

"It has always been a hobby of mine. If I wasn't so old, I'd go on this excavation myself," her dad said and explained that he'd been supporting the Ishtars for some time now.

"So what's so special about this new site?" Delia turned to ask Ishizu.

"I'm not completely sure, but it might help us uncover more about the origin of duel monsters," Isis replied politely with an enigmatic expression.

"Origin of duel monsters?"

"Yes. We believe that duel monsters existed thousands of years ago in Egypt, but the game was a bit different from today's because it was actually dangerous. Those who lost the game will suffer greatly." This time, it was Marik who spoke.

Delia nodded skeptically. "That's cool and all, but do you really think you could prove anything?"

"We could if we have more clues. My sister and I think there are stone tablets where the Egyptians kept record of the game."

She was about to ask something else when her dad spoke, "Ms. Ishtar, this is out of the blue, but if you don't mind, do you think you could include one more person in the excavation?"

Ishizu looked at her father, clearly confused by what he meant. "I apologize, but I just think Delia would be glad to go with you. It'd be a great experience for her."

Delia's jaw dropped as she heard those words. _Going to Egypt on an excavation?_

"Uh…" Ishizu hesitated and glanced at her. "Of course. If Miss Yasune doesn't mind, but these excavations can be quite dangerous. I can't guarantee her safety."

Her parents said nothing, so she understood that the choice really was up to her. "Of course I'll go! It's going to be great! I've always wanted to see Egypt!"

Her dad smiled and so did her mom even though she looked a bit troubled. "All right. Then Delia can go with you to Egypt," her dad said.

"Thank you so much, Daddy!" She hugged her father again happily.

"Did I miss something?"

Everyone was focused her Delia as she thanked her parents and the Ishtars that no one noticed the door opening and Hara coming in.

"Hara! Guess what? I'm going to Egypt!"

Delia ran to her twin and gave her a gigantic hug like she'd been doing to everyone else in the past five minutes.

"Egypt?" A familiar masculine voice said behind Hara.

Delia's head snapped up and saw Seto. He looked rather strained and his eyes held a million questions that she didn't want to answer.

"That's great, Delia!"

That was when she noticed that Hara's eyes were watery and a little bit red. Her smiled looked faked and sad instead of genuinely happy. Delia looked at her and then Seto, wondering what happened between them.

"Hara, is something wrong?"

Hara shook her head. "No, I'm just tired. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, Hara walked into the house without a second glance.

"Delia, why are you still outside?" Her dad shouted across the room.

"You better not have done anything to her," Delia hissed to Seto, knowing that her parents couldn't really see him since the door was half shut.

"I didn't do anything. She was the one who brought it up. Your sister isn't as stupid as you," Seto said with a smirk and left before she could retort.

_God, how dare he! Calling me stupid again! What is wrong with him? Jerk!_

Delia slammed the door behind her, all the happiness suddenly leeching out of her.

"Delia, are you alright?" Her mother asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I think I'm going back to my room."

Remembering her manners, she thanked the Ishtars again and went upstairs. She went to Hara's room, but her sister was taking a shower, so she just plopped down on her bed and waited for her to come out. She wasn't sure that she was ready for this confrontation, but it would have to happen sooner or later, so why not just get it over with?

Yet, when Hara came out of the shower twenty minutes later, Delia couldn't find her confidence, but she couldn't really leave considering Hara already saw her, so she decided to pick another tack. "So spill!" She put on a curious expression and demanded.

"Spill what?" Hara looked at her distractedly.

"What happened between Seto and you?"

"Nothing. There wasn't anything between us in the first place." Hara shrugged carelessly.

"That's not true! I mean, you're just as smart as him. You two get along great!"

"So what?" Hara snapped, her eyes glinting daggers at her. Delia was suddenly taken back. She hadn't expected this. Hara very rarely had a temper. "Just because we have something in common doesn't mean he likes me the same way he likes you!"

Delia felt as if she'd been punched in the gut, even though she'd prepared herself for what was coming.

"I'm not stupid, Delia!" _So I am?_ "I know he likes you! He even told me that himself!"

"Wait! What?" Delia couldn't believe her ears. "He told you that he likes me?" _How blunt could he be?_ She told herself that she was not happy about that.

"Yes! It's not fair! How come you get everything you want? First Jyn and Now Seto!"

"Not fair? You're one to talk!" Delia couldn't control herself anymore. All these years, living under Hara's shadow, and now she blamed her for everything that was wrong with her life? How dare she? "Why do you think I am so rebellious, Hara? Everything I try to do, you come out to be better! That's why! I've lived under you shadow my entire life! Everywhere I go I hear people comparing the two of us! How do you think I took it? So two guys don't like you. So what? I never blamed you for anything. You're just a spoiled brat!"

"Shut up!" Hara covered her ears and screamed, "Go away! I hate you!"

_I hate you._ Her words echoed in Delia's ears. Somehow they sounded so familiar. _Why does it hurt so much? Everybody hates me! _

Delia wondered where these words came from. They weren't her own. She wasn't so far gone as to become depressed, but somehow they were there, in her mind. The slam of the door brought her back to reality as her parents rushed in. Hara was crying hysterically now while she just stood there, staring off into space. Her parents barely gave her a hug before they went to Hara and comforted her.

"Delia, what did you do?" her mom accused while smoothing back Hara's hair.

"What did I do?" Her voice was full of disbelief. "It's not my fault! Just because I'm not the one shedding tears doesn't mean I'm guilty!"

"Delia…" Her dad said in that voice that parents have when they rebuked a wayward kid.

"Don't 'Delia' me! I didn't do anything!"

When both of her parents still looked as accusing as ever, she scoffed. "You know what! I'm out of here! I did nothing to deserve this!"

"Delia, wait!"

She ignored her dad's plea and ran out before he could stop her. Mechanically, she walked on the street. How it turned out like this, she had no idea. All she knew was that she needed to get away from that place. She needed someone to tell her that she wasn't a failure, to reassure her that everything will be fine. She wanted to remember all the good things, remember reassurances from before, but her memory seemed to be failing her.

She didn't know anything anymore.

* * *

**A/N: It's finally starting to get interesting... I love the next few chapters!**

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	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hi, it's been a while, hasn't it? I've just been so busy with school and everything, that I hadn't really had time to right. (Also, I've been obsessed with this other story I'm writing, so I guess I can't place all the blame on school). Anyway, Happy Halloween!!! **

**Enjoy!!!  
**

**Chapter Nine**

Unbeknownst to her, Delia headed toward Duke's shop. He was the only one whom she trusted enough, the only one who wouldn't turn his back on her. Halfway there, she was almost run over as she was crossing the streets. It was as if the car came out of nowhere. She barely heard the loud screech of the brakes before the pain blossomed in her legs and she was sprawling on the ground.

"Oh, God, are you all right?" The voice was somewhat familiar, then she recognized that it Kirk's.

"Delia, is that you?"

"Jyn?"

She finally found the strength to look up. She must be hallucinating. If not, why were they here? Shouldn't they be back in Tokyo?

A pair of strong arms lifted her from the ground. "She's bleeding," Jyn shouted as she lay limply in his arms.

She looked down and sure enough, blood dripped from her right leg onto the pavement as Jyn carried her to the car.

"Jyn, you sit in the back with her. I'll take us to a hospital," Kirk said and gunned the engine.

"No." The word came out strangled. When they didn't seem to hear her, she said it louder.

"But Delia, you're bleeding."

"I'm fine! It's just a little blood."

"But we might've broken your bones or something."

"Nope. At least I don't think so." To illustrate, she ignored the pain and concentrated on moving her leg. It obeyed her command instantly.

Somewhat mollified, Jyn asked, "Then should we take you back home?"

"No! I want… take me to Duke's," she said and buried her face in Jyn's chest and started to cry. _Do I even have a home now?_ She didn't want to admit it to anyone, or to herself, but in the past few minutes, she finally remembered why her parents never seemed to care about her as much as they cared for Hara. It wasn't because she wasn't as smart as her twin, but instead, she was the reason there were only two of them. If it hadn't been for her, then their brother would still be here.

"Delia, what's the matter?" Jyn asked while stroking her hair soothingly.

"Everything," she hiccupped against his shoulder. "Everything about me is wrong. I'm not good enough. My sister and my parents hate me. Everything is my fault."

She gazed up at Jyn wide-eyed and scared. Jyn and Kirk had never seen her like this, so they didn't quite know what to do. "Shh… Everything will be all right." Jyn held her tighter in comfort.

But Delia knew nothing will ever be all right. That was the first time she had cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Through the eyes of a young girl, Delia viewed the city with full of curiosity and amazement. Everything looked simply magnificent and gigantic compared to her small body.

"Come on, Delia. We're going to miss the fireworks if you don't hurry up." Her daddy lifted her up from the ground and swung her in the air. She laughed at the giddy feeling.

"Daddy, daddy…" Young Tony Yasune pulled on his father's pants, wanting to be held too.

Drake Yasune put down his daughter and did the same with Tony, the oldest of his children.

_It's really sad Hara and Mommy aren't here,_ Delia thought while walking contently beside her daddy, holding his hand while he carried Tony with his other arm. Right now, Daddy paid her no attention as he talked with Tony, telling him all about the history of Athens and Greece.

_It's not fair. I never get any attention._ She pouted and tugged toward the right side of the road, where she had seen an ice cream stand, but Tony wanted pizza, so Daddy ignored her and continued walking to the left. To her young mind, it was extremely unfair, so she let go of Daddy's hand halfway across the busy road and ran toward the ice cream vendor.

"Delia!" her father shouted, but she didn't stop. She felt nothing but happiness at that thought that she'd finally gotten his attention. She continued toward the ice cream vendor, hoping that he'd buy her some ice cream if she could get there faster than he.

But that never happened, because several seconds later, her feet left the ground as her daddy lifted her up in his arms. She laughed at being caught, but at almost the same time, a tiny scream pierced the night air.

Both Delia and her father turned to look, her, because the scream scared her, but her father, because he recognized the voice.

"Tony!" he shouted, but Tony was nowhere in sight.

There was not another scream as her father searched everywhere frantically, asking everyone round, trying to find his two-and-half-year-old son.

* * *

"Tony, huh?" Delia whispered to herself as she stared out of the window into the night.

She had woken up about an hour ago from the dream and had been replaying the scenes in her head over and over again. She recalled that morning clearly, the worst morning of her life. She was neglected and alone as her parents contacted the police about Tony's kidnapping. She had stood outside watching the sky exploding into beautiful colors, her mind too young and innocent to understand what had really happened. All she knew was that she couldn't find her brother. To her, it had seemed like a hide-and-seek game.

"Delia, are you up?" Duke's voice brought her out of her memories.

"Yeah," she answered and opened the door for him. It wasn't only Duke, but Kirk and Jyn as well.

"Are you OK?" Jyn was the first to ask.

She shrugged carelessly. "I'm fine now."

When they had arrived at Duke's last night, the first thing they did was clean and bandage her leg. While it throbbed, the pain had dulled so that she had gotten used to it.

"What happened? Why were you out there by yourself last night?" Kirk asked the more pertinent question.

She winced just thinking about it. "I'd rather not talk about it," she replied and decided to change the subject. "By the way, why are you two here? Shouldn't you be back in Tokyo?"

"Oh, we just kind of wanted to spend some time with our old pals, you know?" Kirk grinned sheepishly.

She would've laughed if she hadn't felt so depressed. "Skipping school again, aren't you?"

The two brothers only looked at her sheepishly. "It's not like anyone's going to find out. Ma and Da went back to America after Saturday. Besides, what's the point of college if you can't skip a few days?"

"Hey, I'm not against it. It's just that I can't skip mine, so I'll see you guys tonight, ok?" she said, suddenly remember that she had "work" and "school" to go to as well. It may be stupid seeing Hara so soon, but she didn't want Seto to get on her case about missing work.

"OK, as long as you're fine. You can borrow Duke's car."

"Hey, why mine?"

"Because our car is so much cooler."

"Gee, thank you for letting me have the loser car," she said wryly.

"Hey!" Duke was totally offended. "What do you mean by loser car? My car is…"

Delia didn't bother waiting for Duke to finish. She left the three guys arguing and went downstairs.

Maybe it won't be so bad. She hadn't told anyone yet, but she'd decided not to return home, not when she knew why her parents cared so little or none about her.

Once downstairs, she found Duke's computer and logged in to her account. She opened up a word document and started typing. After maybe ten tries, she finally finished it and printed it out. She found the envelops and sealed the letter. Then she gathered all of her things, which wasn't many since she left home last night without taking anything with her, grabbed Duke's keys and left the house.

Once she was on the road, she turned on her phone (one of the things she always carried with her) and looked at the messages. There were several messages. Some were from Kaiba, who was demanding to know where the hell she was since she was almost two hours late. The others were from her parents and Hara. She snorted. _As if they give a damn about me._

She returned Seto's call and waited while his secretary transferred her.

"Hello," a very grumpy voice came through. "Where are you?"

"You don't' sound very happy today, but then again, you never are. Why did you leave so many messages? Isn't one enough?" she asked, sounding annoyed to spite him on purpose.

"You're late," Seto stated as if she'd only said "hi."

"I know that! There's a good reason for it."

"What is it then? I don't have all day."

"I know that too! I'm coming right now. I'll be there in ten minutes."

She didn't wait for his answer before snapping her phone shut. _He's not the only one who's got a temper,_ she thought and soon started wondering about the dig. While she may not want to go back to her parents anymore, she was still determined to go to Egypt for that dig.

True to her word, she knocked on Seto's office door ten minutes later. After a grumpy "come in", she turned the knob and went inside.

"About time you got here. Where were you last night? Hara called me and said you ran away."

She raised an eyebrow at the question. "That is none of your business. Certainly you didn't call me to discuss that." Her voice sounded like a stranger's. She hadn't known it would be so hard to sound cool and professional in front of him, especially when she kept on remember the kiss from Saturday.

Seto's eyes narrowed, but all he said was, "What's your reason for being late then?"

"This," she said and took out the letter she wrote and handed it to him.

Seto took out the letter and barely read a few lines before putting it down again. He was trying hard not to slam it on the desk. "What's the meaning of this?" His question was full of restrained fury.

"It's perfectly clear, isn't it? This is a resignation letter. I'm sure you've read others before. I'm sorry if it doesn't sound as it should be, but this is the best I could do, or have you never read one before?" She ended her tirade with a smirk.

"I know what this is, but I don't remember hiring you. On the contrary, it was your mother who hired me."

"Since I am working for you, I consider that you've hired me. As for my mother, I'll deal with her. I'm eighteen now, so I'm officially an adult. Some may say that since she's my mother she has control over me, but I can make my own decisions, and they don't include studying and working under the CEO of Kaiba Corp."

"What do you plan on doing?" Seto leaned back in the chair and asked.

"This and that," she answered with a shrug. "I'm staying at Duke's until I go to Egypt. After I get back, I'll get my own place. Then I'm going to find work and take some evening classes to finish my education. I think the money my grandparents left me will be enough for me until I figure out what I want to do with my life."

"What about your parents?"

"What about my parents?" Just the thought of them depressed her. "I…" she suddenly stopped talking and glared at Seto. "Since when did we start discussing my life? I'm leaving. I just came here to give you the letter. Goodbye, Mr. Kaiba."

She gave him one last triumphant smile and left.

Once back in the car, Delia sighed with relief. That went pretty well as far as she was concerned. She had been worried about meeting Hara, but obviously she wasn't there. If she was, Delia wasn't sure they could've made it through without another shouting match.

_It's not time to relax yet. I still have a long way to go before I am totally independent._

The next stop for her was the Domino museum, where the Ishtars worked. She arrived thirty minutes later. The Domino Museum contained one of the best ancient Egyptian collections in the world. Now she knew why.

"Excuse me, is Ms. Ishtar available? I'd like to speak with her," she asked the receptionist once she'd found the offices behind the showrooms.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but Ms. Ishtar is in a meeting right now."

_Damn it!_ "When will she be available?"

"Not until later in the afternoon, I believe, but she doesn't accept visitors if you don't have an appointment."

_Geez, why didn't you just say so at the beginning?_ "Thank you."

Since it was obviously useless to wait there, Delia decided to leave. She had the feeling Isis will probably talk to her even without an appointment, but she didn't want to push her luck.

However, almost as soon as she walked out of the doors of the museum, she heard someone calling her name. She turned around and saw a guy with silver hair and olive skin chasing after her. She would've been startled, if he hadn't looked somewhat familiar. Then she remembered that he was Marik, Ishizu's brother.

"Hi, Ms. Yasune, right? I just saw you talking with the receptionist. Did you need anything?" Marik asked nicely once he caught up to her.

"Uh…" She hesitated before deciding to tell him. "Well, I needed to talk to your sister about the trip to Egypt."

"Oh, that. Sorry if we didn't give you enough information about it, but we're tied up here for about another month and a half. Then we'll leave. I can call you to tell you the date if you want."

"It's not that, but thanks anyway. I was just wondering if my father paid for the trip or not."

Marik looked confused for a moment. "Of course. Mr. Yasune is the one who provides the money for this entire expedition."

She shook her head. "Not that! I mean the plane fares and the hotel and things like that."

"Oh, I suppose he paid for your expenses, but I'd have to check on that. It wouldn't really matter to us if you go free. It's the least we can do after what Mr. Yasune has done for us."

"If my father already paid for me, then can you please return his money? I want to pay for myself."

"Pay for yourself?"

"Yes, everything. I can come back later and pay for it. Just make sure to return the money to my father. Can you do that?"

Marik had no idea what to make of her request, but he nodded. "No problem, but why?"

She gave him a sad smile. "It wouldn't be fair if my parents always pay for whatever I do, would it?" _God knows they've paid enough._ "Anyway, thanks for your help. See ya soon."

"See ya."

* * *

Irene Yasune sat behind her mahogany desk thinking about her youngest daughter, Delia, rather than reading through all the paperwork that needed her attention. She couldn't concentrate at all, not when she didn't know where Delia was. When Delia ran out the door last night, she was so scared that she'd lost Delia again, just like twelve years ago.

_Why is this happening again? First Tony, then…_

The knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Her secretary opened the door and said, "Mrs. Yasune, Miss Delia is here to see you."

She stood up instantly. "Delia? Let her in."

"Yes, ma'am."

The secretary left and Delia walked in, closing the door behind her.

"Oh, Delia, I'm so sorry. Last night, I shouldn't have… You can't believe how worried we are." Irene hugged her daughter as relief washed over her, knowing that her little girl was perfectly fine.

"Mom, I'm fine." Delia's polite tone startled her. She pulled away. Delia's eyes were cool and leveled, which wasn't like her little girl at all.

"Delia, is there something wrong?" she asked.

"Actually, Mom, I'm thinking about moving out."

Irene's heart dropped. "Moving out? What do you mean?"

"I'm eighteen now. I should be able to live on my own. The money Grandpa and Grandma left me should be enough for me until I figure out what to do with my life."

Irene knew this was just an excuse for Delia to get away from the family. She probably had enough of living under Hara's shadows. "But Delia…"

"I know you're going to say I'm not ready for this." Anger flashed across her face. "But if I don't try, how can I ever be ready? Besides, you and Daddy are probably happy that I leave like this, before I do anything stupid again and hurt your precious Hara!"

"That's not true! Your Dad and I—"

"Stop lying to me! I remember what happened in Greece!" Irene felt the color drain out of her face. Delia just continued, "I'm sorry that you lost Tony! I know it was my fault! I should've been more considerate of others! But I was two, Mom! What do you think a two-year-old feels when she never gets any attention while always watching her parents with her siblings? Both of my siblings are geniuses! I'm the youngest with no talent whatsoever! All I wanted was a little attention! All I wanted was for you and Daddy to look at me and remember that I exist! But no! Both of you only saw your perfect Hara and Tony!"

Delia wiped away the tears that had blinded her and stepped back from Irene. "Well, now you're going to get your wish. You won't see me every day and be reminded of how you lost your precious son! I'll do my best to disappear from all of your lives!"

Before Irene could say anything, Delia walked out and slammed the door behind her. It was like losing her daughter for the third time. Somehow, despite everything Delia had said, Irene felt almost relieved.

_She doesn't remember what happened twelve years ago, only what happened in Greece._ she thought with a sigh. _I guess it's better this way, or she'd just hate me more._

That night, Irene returned home feeling extremely drained. Delia's visit had left her broken inside. Only the long day of work had kept her mind from thinking about it too much, but now that she was back home with nothing to do, the full force of Delia's words hit her and reminded her of how wrongly she had treated her youngest daughter both before Tony and after Tony disappeared.

She curled on the sofa and sobbed just like when she had lost her son sixteen years ago. Even after losing one child, she hadn't known how to protect her other children. Oh, how she had despised Delia, even saying things like how she wished Delia was never born, things like why couldn't Delia be more like sister.

Why didn't she see that Delia was different and beautiful in her own way?

Now it was too late.

"Honey, is that you?" Her husband walked over. When he saw her crying, his face immediately softened. "What happened?" He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms.

"Oh, Drake, why didn't we accept her? She tried so hard. Even after when we'd nearly lost her too, why didn't we see how hard she tried so that we would be proud of her? Why did it turn out like this?" she cried, wishing that she could change the past.

Drake understood whom she talked about immediately. "We were fools, Irene. We can make it up to her."

She shook her head furiously. "She hates us, you, Hara, and me. She'll never let us be her family again."

"Don't say that," he said softly, planting a kiss on her forehead. "We have to try. It is the least we can do after all these years."

He was right. She just wished that Delia would give them another chance, though she had no idea what to do to make up for all those years of negligence.

If only there was a way…

* * *

**A/N: So, somewhat of a dark chapter. The past is finally starting to reveal itself. It's going to get more interesting. There're other surprises waiting for you lol**

**Please REVIEW!!!!!  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hi!!!! It was almost two months ago since I updated, but no worries, I should be able to do this faster now that "Chance" has finished, but since I have finals in the nx two weeks, you've gotta give me more time for the next chap though. **

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews!!!!**

**Enjoy!**

**

* * *

****Chapter Ten**

Delia wandered around the mall after speaking with her mother. She was still a little shaken from the meeting, but it was for the best. They didn't want her there, so why stay? Somehow, she ended up in a duel monster's game shop. The Monster Reborn card caught her eye. She didn't know why. It wasn't a rare card or anything, but she somehow felt a connection with it.

Suddenly, an image of a young maiden dressed in a white robe with golden jewels in her chestnut hair appeared in her mind, but it disappeared just as quickly, but she recognized the girl. The face was unmistakably hers, or Hara's. Before she had any time to ponder on it, her cellphone rang.

"Hey Delia, it's Jyn. Several of us are thinking about going to a karaoke place after Duke gets out of school. Wanna come with us?" Jyn asked when she answered the phone.

"Are you crazy? After almost losing my hearing last time, heck no!"

"Come on! Dean and Tyson are coming too."

"And why's that?"

"What? We can't visit our pals here?" Tyson's voice suddenly came through.

"I thought he said you are coming, not that you're here already."

"What's the difference? Besides, I like to look at my favorite girl," Dean said this time. Delia could hear Jyn in the background trying to regain control of his phone. She could almost see them fighting over the little piece of gadget and breaking it in the process. It had happened before.

"What? Where're you?" Delia looked around her. It only took her a few seconds to spot the four guys since they stood out a lot. All she had to do was to see where the other girls were flocking. Kirk was also there, but was trying to ignore the stupidity of the others. They were standing in front of a sports ware store.

"You guys are seriously morons," she said as she crossed over to them.

"Glad to see you too." Dean flashed her a grin that would melt any woman's heart, Delia's included.

"So you coming or not?" Jyn finally got his phone back when she stopped beside their little group.

"I _really_, _really_ don't want to hear you sing," Delia pronounced each word slowly so that they'd understand her.

"Too bad. You're coming anyway," Dean said with finality.

"That defeats the purpose of asking, doesn't it?" She glowered at him but gave up. She wasn't going to get out of this when all four of them were being this stubborn. However, she did sigh with relief when her phone rang again. Perhaps someone would save her from their horrific singing.

"Hey, Delia."

"Oh, hi Hara," her voice cooled considerably as she answered. It didn't escape the notice of her friends either.

"Look, Seto told me what happened."

"What happened?" Delia made a mental note to tell Seto later to mind his own business. That is, if she ever see him again.

"Why are you doing this? Mom would be furious," Hara whispered, shocked.

"Mom!" Delia rolled her eyes. "Is that all you care about, Hara? Oh, Mom this, Dad this! Cut it out! I'm not like you! And for future reference, mind your own goddamn business!" She snapped the phone shut and fumed, looking for potential victims to vent out her anger on and they were there, four of them, especially when they looked at her in that concerned way.

"What are you looking at? I had a fight with Hara! That's it! I don't need your pity!" she shouted and ignored the passerbys who stared at her with disapproval. She'd received enough of those looks to know how to ignore them.

"Delia, we didn't know," Jyn said for the group.

"Well, now you do!"

When they all glanced down shamefully, she instantly felt guilty. It wasn't their fault. But she also hated herself. Why must she feel guilty about every little thing she did, good or bad?

"Sorry, but I just… I just need some time alone. I'll see you guys later," she muttered an apology and left before anyone could stop her.

* * *

"Saki, is Mr. Kaiba or Hara here?" Delia asked Seto's secretary.

Saki, who'd became a good friend of hers during the time she'd stayed at Kaiba Corp, looked up from her work and smiled brightly. "No. They're both at a meeting right now."

Delia sighed with relief. She was depending on that so she could get her things without seeing either of those two. It would just feel extremely awkward. She wasn't ready to face Hara yet. As for Seto Kaiba, she didn't know how she felt, but she didn't want to examine her feelings too closely at the moment.

"Great," she said with her most cheerful smile. "I just need to get some things I left at the office."

"Sure, no problem."

Delia entered the office where she shared with Hara. She searched the drawers and found all the notes she'd taken on the works she'd done. It might be of no use to her in the future, but it wouldn't hurt to keep them.

_Damn it! Where's the picture?_ She'd brought a picture her father took of her and the guys together at her 16th birthday. It was really special to her. She'd brought it to the office because for the past few weeks, she'd spent more time here than at home.

_It's probably in his office. _She left the room and noted that Saki was no longer at her desk, but it didn't matter, she had the key to Seto's office. He had given it to her when she actually started arriving earlier than him. Just the thought gave her the creeps. Just what did they do to her?

She turned the doorknob, and was surprised that it wasn't actually locked. When she opened it fully, she found out why. Seto was on the phone at his desk. He glared at her, no doubt wondering why she was here, while continuing the conversation on the phone.

Quickly, she went to the desk where she studied, surprised that he didn't have it removed already, and found the picture standing on the desk. Behind her, she heard Seto saying good-bye and put down the phone. Darn it! She was hoping to leave without having to talk to him too.

"What are you doing here?" Seto asked. He stood up and crossed over to her.

"I just needed to get some things. I'm leaving right now," she replied and backed away, wanting to get as far away from him as possible while images from last Saturday appeared in her head. She couldn't believe it was only last Saturday when he'd kissed her. It had felt like years due to everything that had happened afterwards.

"Where are you staying?" Seto moved with her, blocking her escape. Somehow, she thought he looked ridiculously sexy at the most ridiculous time.

"At Duke's place until I go to Egypt. Then I'll find an apartment when I come back," she replied while watching him warily.

"I thought I told you to stay away from him." Seto's voice took on an angry edge.

"Why should I? He's my best friend and the only one I can depend on right now," she spoke the truth and stepped toward him defiantly. A most unwise move, as that gave him the chance to grab her and haul her against him. Her breath came out on a gasp as she slammed against his hard chest.

"Stay with me," he hissed the words huskily before crashing his mouth down to hers. The desperate need she sensed from him wiped all thoughts of resistance out of her mind. Instead, her arms wrapped around his neck as she deepened the kiss as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

For the first time in days, she felt right, as if this was where she belonged. His kiss took away all that stressed her and left nothing but peace behind. When he pulled away, she had already made up her mind.

* * *

That night, Delia went with Seto to his home, to stay until she leaves for Egypt. She didn't return to Duke's place to pick up her things, mainly because she was bone tired, so she'd decided to go back tomorrow after getting some rest.

Seto lived in a mansion some thirty minutes away from the city. The placed was walled in like many other mansions they'd passed on the way. She wasn't really amazed, as she was used to such extravagance growing up. Honestly, it was what she had expected.

"Here's your room." Seto took her up to the second floor and led her to the room she'd stayed before, which hadn't changed, except right now red silk sheets covered the giant bed in the middle of the room. On the desk to one side of the room was a laptop, which she was sure wasn't there before.

"Are you sure I can stay here?" she asked him, finally having some second thoughts.

"Delia, I want you to be here," Seto said. _Nowhere near that Devlin_, he added to himself. She looked so weary as if she was going to collapse any minute. He needed to know she was OK. "My room is next door if you ever need anything." He indicated down the hallway. "Now make yourself at home. I'll come to check on you when dinner is ready."

Delia watched him disappear into his room and then went in hers, locking the doors behind her. Since she had no clothes to wear, she went to the closet to see if there was anything in there, though it didn't seem likely. However, when she entered the walk-in closet, she gasped. It was filled with clothes of every style, from the most formal evening dresses to jeans and t-shirts. All of them looked her size too. Did he plan on her being here? Was that why all the clothes were prepared for her?

Sighing, she picked out a white halter and a pair of black jeans and headed to the bathroom, which had a Jacuzzi to the one side and a shower beside it. She shrugged out of her clothes and stepped into the shower. She sighed with comfort as the hot water washed over her body. After taking a long shower, she dried off and changed into the new clothes.

When she went outside into the hallway, there was no one there. It was so quiet and eerie in a way, so she just headed down the hall and found the stairs eventually.

"Hara, is that you?" A boy that was about thirteen or fourteen suddenly appeared from one of the hallways to her left. Before she could answer, the boy answered his own question with a thoughtful frown, "Wait! You're not Hara. Who are you?"

"I'm Delia. Hara's my twin sister. Who are you?"

"I'm Mokuba. You must be that girl Seto brought in the other night and what the doctors were here for. I'm Seto's brother. Nice to meet you," he said and offered his tiny hand.

She shook it, feeling rather amused at being treated so formally by this small boy. "Nice to meet you too."

"Delia?"

She turned at the sound of her name. Mokuba released her hand and ran to his brother's side. His hair was damp, so he must've taken a shower as well. He had changed out of his work clothes into a pair of khaiki slacks and a black turtleneck. Somehow, he no longer looked like the no-nonsense Seto Kaiba she knew from work, but just another teenager, which only made him more attractive.

She suddenly remembered the kiss they'd shared in his office and blushed. Seto seemed to know her thoughts and smirked, transforming back to the businessman and earning himself a glare from her. Luckily, he only said, "Come on. Dinner's ready."

He turned and headed to the left hallway. She followed him and Mokuba quickly, not wanting to get lost in this huge mansion.

Dinner was a small affair, with just the three of them in a dining room that can hold at least thirty or so people, but it was delicious. The onigiri was the best she'd had in a while. She was quite surprised to be served Japanese food. She'd thought Seto was a Western food kind of guy, but she guessed there were a lot of things she didn't know about him.

They made small talks at dinner, though she was pretty nervous since Seto was mostly quiet, but Mokuba couldn't see to stop talking. For brothers, they were like opposites, kind of like her and Hara. After dinner, Mokuba left to do this homework and Seto returned to Kaiba Corp to finish some business. He must've had a lot of work to do and had to leave because of her, which warmed her heart.

With nothing to do, she retreated to her room and called her friends if only to pass the time. She already had several messages, all from her friends asking where she was, since she was supposed to be back at Duke's house an hour ago. She dialed Duke's number and he picked before the first ring had finished.

"Delia, where are you? Why aren't you back yet?"

"I uh… I'm staying with Seto. I'll go get my clothes tomorrow."

"What?" Duke's practically exploded and she heard an echo in the background.

"Jyn, are you listening?" she asked suspiciously. No one answered, not even Duke. "Come on! Duke! Who was that? Did you put me on speaker?"

After a few seconds, someone finally answered. She recognized the voice as Dean's. "What do you know? Our Delia's found herself a guy!"

There was collective laughter in the background. She groaned as her face turned beet red.

"Why are there so many people over at your place?' She tried to sound normal even as she dreaded facing them ever again. Maybe she could sneak in tonight and kill all of them to save herself some embarrassment later.

"Uh…That…Well…They just came," Duke explained lamely.

"What are you not telling me, Duke?"

"Why would Duky lie? Since it's the weekend, we just wanted to drop in and surprise the two of you. Who'd have thought we'd get a surprise ourselves?" She could see Jyn's devilish grin in her mind.

"Yeah! You tell that Kaiba boy that if he touches you, he's got a whole pack of us after him."

"Haha, you wouldn't be able to swat a fly, Mike."

"Yeah, but I have a great left hook."

Delia couldn't help but laugh. God, it was good to talk to everyone again. "I'm sure Seto would be scared out of his mind, if he doesn't sic his bodyguards on you first. So I'll see you guys tomorrow?"

"Yeah, wouldn't miss it for the world!" This time, Tyson answered and blew her a kiss across the phone.

She felt so much better about everything after she hung up. She sprawled and stretched on the huge bed. _Who needs a loving family anyway?_ she thought. _I'll just keep all of my friends. _

She yawned and curled up on the bed with a soft and satisfied smile. _I'll just take a quick nap. _She closed her eyes and soon fell dead asleep.

* * *

She was trapped in the darkness. She was so terrified and confused as to what had happened. Where were Mommy and Daddy? Her small hands were bound together behind her as she lay on the cold ground. Something covered her eyes so that no matter how hard she tried she couldn't see beyond the darkness. There was something in her mouth that tasted nasty and prevented her from calling out. All she could make were little sobbing noises as she tried to recall what had happened.

She had gotten mad at Mommy and Daddy because they ignored her again just to take Hara to a stupid math competition. They'd promised to take her to the new amusement part that had just opened two weeks ago. The babysitter wouldn't take her anywhere either, so she snuck out of the house, determined to go on her own to show that she didn't need anyone.

On the way, she'd met this really nice man who gave her candy and said he'd help her get to the park. She had gotten in a car with him, but afterwards things started to get muddy and blurry.

_Mommy? Daddy?_ she thought when she heard the door open. It must be them. They were punishing her for running off. They were always so angry at her ever since Tony disappeared. Whatever she did, it never pleased them.

"Hello, little princess." It wasn't her parents, but the nice man who had given her candy. She felt big rough hands on her, groping and touching her. She tried to scoot away from him, but he held her in place. She didn't like the way he touched her. It hurt, not like the gentle way Mommy always checked for scrapes when she fell, though Mommy hadn't done that for several years. She wondered why that was so. Did Mommy hate her?

"Don't worry, princess. I'm not going to hurt you," the man spoke again, the words somewhat hurried and slurred. He was panting, as if he just came back from a run.

He was touching her again. She had nowhere to run. _No! No! Stop! Mommy! Daddy!_ she screamed, but no words came out. She could only cry and gasp against the gag in her mouth. _Stop!_ She struggled against the wandering hands, but she couldn't get away. _Don't touch me! Stop!_

Delia's eyes snapped open with terror. She was sweating and shivering badly.

"Delia! Delia!" Someone called her name and held her.

"No! Don't touch me!" She fought madly against the person, but he only held on tighter. She was back in the dream again. She couldn't get away!

"Delia, it's me! It's just a dream!"

She continued to struggle, but the voice finally penetrated her fear. She looked up and faintly saw a familiar face. Her eyes met a pair of sky blue ones that were filled with concern.

"Seto? Seto?" She lifted her hand and traced the contours of his face almost reverently, as if she couldn't believe it was really him. "Oh God," she whispered as the dream came back to her, as all the memories associated with it came back. She buried her face against his chest and cried as everything she'd lost returned.

Why did she have to remember? She would've been happy living in ignorance forever.

"Shh…it's alright." His arms wrapped around her tightly and held her against him. He was shaking. Her terror had shocked him to the core. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what had caused this, but he had to be strong for her. She needed him.

"No, it's not. Nothing will ever be alright anymore," she sobbed. She finally remembered. The six years of childhood she'd lost simply because they had hated her for losing Tony, simply because they ignored her for that day. The tears eventually ran out, but she stayed in his arms. It was the only comfort she could find for the moment. She told herself she only needed another minute or two to pull herself together.

Slowly, she crawled out of his arms and stumbled to the computer. She had to check, to make sure that she wasn't going crazy, though a part of her knew what she'd find on the Internet could only prove that she was right.

"Delia, what are you doing?" Seto sat down beside her as turned on the laptop.

"I need to see, to prove it."

"To prove what?"

"To prove something that may ruin my life all over again," she whispered and refused to let herself think what Seto would do, or think, after he finds out, which would be soon. Even if he deserted her afterwards, she would still be grateful to him for staying and comforting her after the dream.

She opened the web browser and calculated the years before typing in the keywords, "child kidnapping 1997 Delia Yasune". Seto stiffened beside her, but she didn't look. If she looked, she might lose her courage and never find out the truth.

She clicked on the first one that came up and skimmed through it. The article had everything, from the day that she had disappeared to the moment she was found. If possible, Seto was even tenser as she read through the article. It had a picture of her as a little girl, and another of her parents, grieving for their second lost child. Yet, mostly, she wanted to know what had happened that she'd forgotten everything.

At the end, she found it.

"Delia Yasune was found on the streets, unconscious. Authorities suspect that she had somehow escaped from her kidnapper, but had collapsed from hunger and thirst. She was brought to the hospital." Then the article jumped to several days later when the medical results came out, but other than the most general, the rest was private information.

"Seto, can you hack into the hospital records?" she asked, not looking at him.

"Yes, but are you sure you want to know more?"

"Please just do it."

She hugged her knees to her chest and watched Seto ordering the central computer to hack into the records. She knew what she would read even as she read it. She closed her eyes afterwards as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. She had been sexually abused and raped. She had had amnesia when she woke up from the shock. The doctors weren't sure when or if she'd ever remember those events.

Even after everything, her parents still couldn't love her as much as Hara, or Tony. They loved their ghost of a son more than her. Perhaps they thought since she was soiled, she brought shame to the family name. She didn't know.

Seto watched her, not sure what to do. She looked so fragile, as if she would break from the lightest touch. Fury filled his being, but he had nowhere to direct it. Mixed in with the fury was despair, that he couldn't have saved her from the agony that the knowledge brought.

In the end, he picked her up from the chair. She didn't make a sound. Her eyes stared ahead, unseeing, no doubt reliving that nightmare. He recalled that there was no ransom. Whoever had kidnapped her didn't want any money, only the perverse pleasure of torturing a child.

He laid her down in bed. She turned away and curled into a ball, withdrawing into herself, but he wouldn't let her go this easily. He climbed in beside her and curled himself next to her, holding her small form against his chest. If anything, he wanted her to know that he wouldn't abandon her, not now, not ever.

They will get through this together.

* * *

**A/N: Aww, poor Delia... she'll never get a break, will she? *sigh* anyway, I think most of the "revelations" are done. The next few chapters should be more smooth sailing.**

**Till next time...**

**As always, please REVIEW!!!  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hi!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year!!!! I've slacking off a bit, I agree, but hopefully it'll change in the near future. As always, thanks a bunch for the wonderful reviews!!! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Eleven**

Seto was gone when Delia woke up the next morning. _Might as well,_ she thought with a sigh. After last night, it was reasonable if Seto didn't want anything to do with her anymore. It was just… he stayed there for her last night after everything. She had thought… she shook the thought away. _No, he has his own life. I can't expect him to always be here._

Besides, she couldn't be the same girl after everything that she remembered. Even though it was so long ago, every detail was crystal clear.

Finally, she understood why her parents never loved her as much as Hara. It wasn't only due to the fact she had cost them their son, but how could they love a daughter who'd bring nothing but shame to the family?

Hara was perfect, pure, smart, obedient, and everything any parents could wish for in their child.

Delia never stood a chance.

Sighing, she trudged to the bathroom and showered. Standing under the spray of water, she wished that it could take away the filth she felt inside. Finally, after having another cry inside where no one could hear, not even herself, she stepped out.

Almost in a daze, she fumbled through the close for something she could actually wear. Just when she dropped the towel to get dressed, Seto walked in. They both stopped moving for the briefest second before she shrieked and picked up the dropped towel, clutching it in front of her.

"Why… why are you still here?" she stammered and pointed at him accusingly.

Though he was red in the face, Seto still managed speak smoothly, "It's my home."

She glanced at the clock. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Delia, it's Saturday." Sensing her protest, he continued quickly, "Besides, I don't plan on leaving you today, not after what happened last night."

She could feel her face getting redder by the second. In the end, she turned away because she couldn't face him anymore, but not before she wrapped the towel securely around herself. "You don't have to take care of me."

"If I don't, who will?"

She shivered when his hands touched her shoulders and caressed down her arms. He touched his lips to her collarbone in a soft kiss. When he gently turned her around, she had no desire to resist.

"You don't have to," she whispered, more stubborn than anything. Honestly, she wished he would, but she would not push this on him. He did nothing to deserve this.

"No, but I want to." His smile was all tenderness. As he kissed her forehead, her eyes, and slowly trailed kisses down to her lips, the tears came even as she sighed with pleasure.

"Seto…" his name escaped her lips in the barest of whispers. She turned to him, finding his soft lips with her own. Sliding a muscled arm around her waist, he held her to him as he coaxed her mouth open with a soft probe of his tongue. She obliged him. Giving in to her own urges, she ran her hands up his hard chest, letting the towel dropping on the floor.

At that moment, nothing mattered to Delia except for Seto and the way he held her. She felt safe and treasured in his arms. The kiss suddenly turned from one of leisurely perusal to aggression as passion bloomed. He angled the kiss as he ravished her mouth, his hand buried in her damp hair.

Delia sensed the change in his mood and went along into the fire willingly. She unbuttoned his shirt, running her hands over his muscled chest. She would have given him anything he asked at this moment, when the phone rang, snapping her out of the dreamlike trance, but Seto didn't seem to be affected.

"You really should get the phone," she pulled away and gasped.

"No, it can wait." Deprived of her mouth, he trailed kisses down her jaw to a spot on her collarbone that made her shudder.

Before she could give in to temptation, she stepped out of his arms, instantly aware of the loss of his warmth. She picked up the towel with almost reluctance and berated herself for giving in to his touch. No, she couldn't do this. No matter how much she wanted Seto Kaiba, she wasn't ready, not after everything she'd just found out about herself.

"Seto, you should definitely get the phone," she told him, giving him a hard look to make sure that this wasn't going any further.

Seto sighed and raked his hand through his hair in frustration. God, the last thing he wished to do was answering the damn phone when she stood in front of him in nothing but a towel, but what else could he do?

"Fine," he grumbled and dragged his eyes away from all that deliciousness.

Relieved that Seto didn't decide to try his luck, Delia picked up the clothes she had dropped earlier and went to the bathroom to change, locking the door after her just in case.

As she dressed, she suddenly recalled her promise to her friends. Oh God, did any of them know about what had happened to her, especially Jyn and Kirk, since she had known them the longest? She couldn't imagine living in ignorance of those events all these years while her friends knew everything about her.

However, she knew she'd have to face them sooner or later. She stared at herself in the mirror. She didn't look any different, but she definitely felt different. Sighing, she trudged out of the room and stopped when seeing that Seto was still in the room.

"So what was the call about?" she asked before he could say a word.

"Just some glitch in a program. I'll go by and check it later," he answered blithely, but his eyes betrayed his true feelings. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes. In fact, I'm going to Duke's. I told them I would go and pick up my things today."

"Them?"

"Some of my other friends are here and staying at his place. I'll be back right after."

She crossed to the door in quick strides, but surprisingly Seto didn't do anything to stop her. Feeling somewhat guilty, she whirled around and blurted out, "I'm sorry!" When Seto looked at her with puzzlement, she continued quickly, the words rushing out, "You're doing so much for me, but I… I don't even know anything about myself anymore…"

Surprisingly, Seto smiled charmingly. "Delia, what happened when you were young has nothing to do with the person you are now. You're still the same girl who broke my office windows while trying to escape"—Delia blushed at the mention of that incident—"Those things happened in the past. Let it go. You have to focus on the future."

"I don't know," she muttered doubtfully, unable to meet his eyes. "I really shouldn't stay with you with everything that's happening."

Hearing this, Seto came to her side and hugged her. She went into his arms willingly, all of a sudden feeling much better. "I want to be by your side, Delia, through everything."

He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, but the stark need in his eyes was clear for her to see. "Oh Seto, I wish…"

She shook her head, not knowing what to say. "I have to go now, or they'll kill me when I get there." Like a coward, she said a quick good-bye and rushed out. If only Seto wasn't so understanding. If he were colder, harsher, she would know how to deal with him, but this kind Seto tugged at her heartstrings and she wasn't sure she liked it.

Twenty minutes later, she arrived at Duke's shop. It was filled with people. All the platforms were occupied, and there was even a line for the game. She knew his game was famous, but just didn't know how much. Though still somewhat depressed, seeing all those people having fun cheered her up a little. She was so going to make him teach her the game as soon as possible.

She headed to the back where the stairs were. The workers all knew who she was, so they let her pass without giving her any trouble. She climbed the stairs to the third floor where Duke had his apartment.

Duke opened the door when she knocked. He still looked half-asleep, standing there bare-chested in a pair of khaki shorts, his hair rumpled from sleep.

"You're early," he grumbled as she came in, closing the door behind her.

"Oh really? I don't remember saying a specific time," she said with a sly smile. There was no one around, but the living room was trashed. There were beer bottles everywhere and leftover food like pizza and hotdogs. "You guys had a party without me?" she accused loudly on purpose.

She was glad to see Duke wince. Not only was he half-asleep, he was suffering from a hangover.

"They're still in bed, aren't they?" she asked and smirked with pleasure when he nodded. "You wait here, and don't you dare do anything to warn them."

Duke ignored her and went to the kitchen to make coffee. _Oh, this is going to be so much fun._ After the night she'd just had, Delia was ready to make some mischief.

She walked down the hall and slammed open the first door as loud as possible. She had the satisfaction to see Dean holding his head in pain. She entered and pulled open the curtain mercilessly. Sunlight flooded the room. Dean cursed and pulled the sheets over his head. She laughed softly to herself and bounded out of his room to the next.

She did the same in the next room, so one by one, she left the rooms with curses following her heels, but nothing they said could dampen her good humor. However, the last one didn't go as smoothly as the others. When she slammed open the door, Jyn was just getting out of his towel and getting dressed.

"Delia, what the fuck!" Jyn covered himself with the towel at the same time she screamed and slammed the door close.

_Oh my god! Oh my god!_ The words repeated themselves in her head like a mantra. She leaned against the door, closed her eyes and saw Jyn standing there as naked as the day he was born, and wanted to scream again, but damn! He was so hot!

She had had a crush on him when she was younger, but he was another one of those that chose Hara. She still felt hurt over the fact he had asked Hara to his prom, and not her.

_Maybe he knows,_ the thought popped out of nowhere. Delia tried to deny it. He was around 10 when it happened, so he must have some recollection of the event. Besides, his parents and hers were the closest out of all her other friends. But if Jyn knew, then Kirk must knew too. What about the others? She fought down the hysteria and panic that rose as she thought about how her friends must view her.

"Delia?" She jumped when Kirk tapped her on the shoulder. "Delia, is something wrong?"

"No, everything's great!" She stepped back and found herself against the wall.

"Delia, you still there?"

The door opened, showing Jyn dressed in a pair of jeans and a snug black shirt. His hair was still damp from the shower he just took, and his eyes, a shade darker than his brother's, were fixed on her.

"Hey, why are you crying?"

"What? I'm not crying." It was only then that she noticed tears were flowing down her face.

"Crying? Who's crying?" Dean popped up behind Kirk. "Ha! Who'd have thought you'd be crying after blowing our heads off?"

"Shut up, Dean!" Krik elbowed him in the ribs as her other friends all came up to see what was happening.

"Delia, what's wrong? Did that bastard do something?" Jyn furrowed his brow, concerned.

When he reached for her, she tried to jump back, but she was already in a corner. _Oh, what am I doing? They're my friends._ Taking a deep breath, she stopped the sob from coming out.

"Does nobody live here?" The loud shout came from the other end of the hallway. Delia froze in her spot.

"Dad?" Everyone turned to look. And indeed, Jyn's parents were at the other side.

"I… I should go."

Delia tried to push past her friends, not wanting to face Mr. and Mrs. Crestman.

"Delia? Is that you over there? What're you boys standing there for? Move aside." In a regal manner reminiscent of a queen, Mrs. Crestman shooed everyone aside and was beside Delia instantly. "Have you boys been bullying the poor girl again?" Mrs. Crestman asked the other sternly.

They all squirmed around uneasily, knowing perfectly well that whatever no said would not help the situation. Despite the fact she'd already caused enough trouble for everyone, she suddenly decided that she didn't want to be in the dark anymore.

"Mrs. Crestman, can I talk to you and Mr. Crestman for a second please?" she asked politely.

"Of course, sweetie. Come here." Mrs. Crestman led the way into Jyn's room. Delia followed with Mr. Crestman, who shut the door behind him.

"Honey, if you need something, just ask us. We heard about the fallout you had with your parents. It must be so hard for you." As Mrs. Crestman sat on the bed, she pulled Delia down beside her.

"It's not about that. Well, not entirely." Delia winced, wondering how to tell the older woman everything. Jyn's parents just waited patiently for her to speak her piece. Finally, after a minute or so, she whispered, "I remember what happened.

The two older adults stiffened just a little. "Oh, you remember?" Mrs. Crestman's voice was soft.

"You two know, don't you? About what happened back in Greece? In LA?"

"Of course we know, along with a few others," Mr. Crestman said with a sigh.

Delia paled visibly as she sat there, thinking about all her friends and their parents.

"Delia, please don't think so much of it. I agree that Irene and Drake didn't treat you right after they lost Tony. After all, he was the only son they had, and Irene couldn't have any more children. They were both devastated. They saw their son whenever they looked at you, so it was easier for them to dote on Hara," Mrs. Crestman explained with a regretful expression, as if she was the one who made the mistake.

"But even afterwards, in LA, they couldn't find a reason to love me even if they wanted to," Delia said bitterly.

"That's not true. They tried, but you must remember that your kidnapping was a big public scandal for them. It broke their hearts again when they lost you. Even when they found you later, you didn't remember any of them. I still remember what Irene told me that night when you first woke up from the hospital. You wouldn't let her or Drake or anyone near you. You just curled yourself into a small ball and rocked back and forth while you cried. She said you looked at them with terror in your eyes, and didn't recognize any of them. The doctor had to drug you to calm you down. As parents, they couldn't stand it. I knew that if anything like that happened to either of my boys, I wouldn't be able to handle it quite as well as Irene."

Delia took some satisfaction to hear that she wasn't the only one who suffered. Her parents deserved it, after how they treated her. "Do… Jyn and Kirk know?" she asked tentatively.

At her question, Mrs. Crestman smiled with amusement. "Yes, Jyn knows. He was ten when it happened. He asked me everyday where you were. You know, you were like a sister to them. Jyn overheard us talking one night. He was really furious when you didn't remember him. He cursed at you, and we grounded him for months."

"As for Kirk, he hated you with a passion back then since you beat him at everything. He couldn't think of a better punishment for you, but now he just won't mention it."

Delia smiled as those words dragged out other memories she'd had buried inside of her. That day, Jyn had stormed into the hospital room with his parents and tried all kinds of things for her to remember him and his brother. Kirk had had a smug smile on his young chubby face, as if he'd won some kind of contest. She recalled being confused and thinking why they were both so mean to her. It took her some time to trust them again. That was after she became good friends with Duke.

"Thank you for telling me all this. I was so confused, and I didn't know how to act around them," she confessed.

"Sweetie, no matter how you act in front of those bunch of idiots, they'll still love you," Mrs. Crestman said with a chuckle. She hugged Delia, which Delia returned gladly. Then Delia stood up and hugged Mr. Crestman.

"Thank you," she repeated and kissed both of them on the cheeks before opening the door.

Jyn stood there, along with all the others, obviously waiting. Delia's eyes met Jyn's with understanding and she hugged him tightly. "You're the best, Jyn," she mumbled against his chest.

"Hey, I thought I'm your best friend!" Duke dragged her away from Jyn and pouted.

Delia laughed, feeling happier than she had for the last forty-eight hours. "Of course you are."

"Hey, we're here! You don't have to be so obvious about it."

The other guys started to complain like the bunch of immature boys they were. Laughing, she hugged every one of them until it turned into a group hug. Enveloped by her friends, Delia caught Mrs. Crestman's eyes and whispered another "thank you." The older woman just nodded before leaving discreetly with her husband.

A few hours later, after coming back from having lunch at a restaurant across the street, they had a party again, this time singing some karaoke.

Delia totally forgot about going back to Seto's mansion, so it was a surprise when he showed up at the door that night, looking as if he was going to thrash her. Luckily, she was half drunk, so she didn't truly comprehend his fury. Instead, she rather felt sorry for him, since he probably had never found himself facing a bunch of drunken idiots before.

Seto simply stood there for a second, absorbing everything. When he returned from work to find her still not there, he had been worried out of his mind. He wasn't used to worrying about anyone or anything other than his brother and the corporation, but she'd gotten to him. He still recalled easily how fragile and vulnerable she had been last night, but that person was gone. The Delia he'd known from the beginning was back, for surely this drunk girl who wobbled toward him with a wide smile couldn't be the same girl who cried in his arms.

"Hi, Seto, how are you?" she asked while leaning against the wall for her balance.

Without waiting for his answer, she had her arms around him. His system instantly went haywire. He wanted nothing but to kiss her, ravage her, or do whatever to get this need for her out of his system. He was used to being in control of everything, including his body, but whenever she got near, the control snapped little by little until he was reduced to nothing but feelings and sensations.

It scared the shit out of him.

"Seto, what's wrong?" she asked, her pretty brows furrowed in confusion.

"Nothing, let's go," his words came out with an edge to it that had Delia straighten up. She might be drunk, but she hadn't completely lost her wits.

"If something's wrong, you say it. I won't be ordered around."

He admired her even as he cursed her inside his head. She held herself regally, even in her disheveled state. "Nothing's wrong," he said again, smoothing out his voice. "But you should've called me if you wanted to stay here."

"I don't have to report to you about anything I do. I'm not a helpless girl anymore."

The fact she had to say that last sentence only proved that she was still hurting, despite the tough front she put on. He didn't blame her. His demeanor softened, but he refused to let her see it, or her friends, who he noticed had stopped fooling around and all stood behind her protectively. Yet, he wished to explain to her that dreadfully feeling he had upon returning home to find her still not back, but he couldn't find the words.

Well, if she was going to act tough, then why should he act any different? Donning his usual mask, he said impatiently, "I got it. You're not helpless, but you're still a girl. Now that we've that out of the way, let's go."

"I don't want to." Delia crossed her arms and stuck out her chin stubbornly.

He almost snapped at her before he caught the look from the man behind her. He looked older than the rest, but fit in well with the group. Delia squealed when the guy swept her off her feet in a swift move and lifted her.

"Jyn! Put me down! You traitor!" Delia hit her friend even as a laugh bubbled out of her throat. Duke opened the door for them while the rest of them stayed behind, seemingly enjoying themselves. However, Seto had the feeling that they simply didn't want to be in the path of Delia's fury once she returns for them.

He followed Jyn and Delia down the steps while tamping down the jealousy. It wasn't a feeling he was familiar with. To him, it had seemed pointless and waste of time. Nothing was achieved from it, but as he watched the way Jyn held Delia, the feeling that hit hard and fast. He caught himself before he did anything rash. Where had the practical and logical Seto Kaiba gone, he wondered.

"Where is your limo?" Jyn asked Seto as they came down to the first floor.

"Out the front," Seto replied curtly. Jyn only looked more amused.

Since the store was closed, Delia shouted at her so-called friends. "What kind of friends are you? You are handing me to a monster!"

Seto lifted a brow at the description. It was rather amusing despite everything, but did she still see him that way after everything? Well, he'd have to work harder to change her opinion of him in the future.

"Delia, you can either stay with us, meaning sleeping in the living room, or sharing a room with one of us and smell like beer for the next few days, or go with Mr. Bad Attitude here and sleep peacefully and hopefully not get a killer hangover," Jyn said with exasperation.

Delia thought about it for a second. "I don't want to smell like beer, or share a room with any of you."

"Then Mr. Bad Attitude it is," Jyn said and watched as Delia climbed into the limo relunctantly.

"Take care of her," Jyn said to Seto when passing him on the way back. Seto said nothing and kept going, but he could tell that the feelings ran deep between Delia and her friends.

It reminded him that he had no friends of his own. Well, who needed them anyway? They were nothing but trouble.

Delia glared at him angrily when he climbed in and shut the door behind him. The chauffeur started the car and soon they were on their way to his home. Even though he sat on the opposite end, Delia ignored his good intentions and came to sit next to him. "What's with you anyway? You've got all my friends against me."

Seto's lips curved at her thoughtful question. He leaned toward her with a wicked gleam in his eyes and whispered, "Because I'm good for you."

"You wish," she scoffed but a blush crept up nonetheless.

"Want me to prove it?"

He brushed his lips against hers. When she opened her mouth to protest, he closed his mouth over hers. The kiss of gentle and sweet, different from all the ones before, and surprised both of them. Seto felt himself being drawn toward her as her arms came reluctantly around his neck and his hands tangled in her hair. Something inside him shifted even as the familiar need spread through his body. He thought of making love to her, of rose petals spread on the bed, of candlelight, everything she deserved.

She sighed quietly with pleasure when he pulled away. That single sound had his heart turning over. The kiss had taken away all the anger and tension from earlier, but he didn't know what to say. Delia, however, was satisfied because she had a content little smile on her face. Using his legs as a pillow, she stretched out on the long seat of the limo and soon dozed off with her hand in his, leaving him to his thoughts.

* * *

**A/N: Please review!!!!!**

**Till next time!  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Delia woke up with little jackhammers swinging in her head. It only got worst as she tried to sit up, so with a painful groan, she slumped back in bed, deciding that it was probably a good idea to get more sleep. The sound of the door opening, which usually would've been unnoticeable, seemed to be a loud boom to her sensitive ears. Cursing whoever dared to enter her sanctuary, she pulled the covers over her head and tried to go back to sleep.

Whoever it was obviously didn't get the message and pulled off the covers. "This is why I never get drunk," Seto's amused voice penetrated the fogs in her brain.

"Go away," she grumbled, not even bothering to look at him.

"Really? And I was so nice here to bring you a gift."

"What?"

"I thought you might need some aspirin."

Delia's spirits instantly lifted and she rolled over to face him. Luckily, Seto hadn't been so cruel as to pull back the drapes, so all was well. She pulled herself up in a sitting position carefully before taking the pills and the glass of water Seto offered.

"You're the best." She gave him her best smile after taking her medicine.

"And here you were calling me a monster yesterday." He did his best to look offended, but couldn't hold back the amused smile.

"I did?"

Delia racked her memory, but was met with a solid wall, so she only shrugged. "How did you get me back here? Wasn't I at Duke's?" Her words trailed off as things returned in bits and pieces. "Why! Those no good…" She shot up from the bed like a bullet in her fury, only to tumble down against just as fast.

Seto caught her before she hit the floor and smirked, "You really should be more careful."

"Ow! Ow!" At the moment, she was in too much pain to care about anything else. If only the aspirin would work faster… However, obviously Seto had a better idea. When he kissed her, her brain completely blanked, including the pain. Instead, she was instantly flooded with pleasure.

"Did that help?" Seto asked huskily.

"Yes." She sighed happily and just stayed in his arms for a few more minutes. "Don't you have something better to do?" Even as she asked, she didn't want him to leave, but realistically she knew he had other things to keep him busy.

"Yes, I have to go to LA tomorrow. Something's come up."

Disappointment stabbed her like a knife. She knew it. "For how long?"

"I don't know. A month, at the shortest."

"Can I go with you? I want to spend time with you before I go to Egypt."

"You can't. I won't have any spare time. I just need to take care of things over there and come back as quickly as possible."

The headache from the hangover was almost gone now, but Delia could feel another one coming. She'd never experienced rejection except from your parents. While she was sure Seto didn't mean any harm by it, she felt it nonetheless. It only made her realize further how different she and Seto were. Before, she was too wrapped up in her own problems to notice or care about anything. She had needed someone to pull her through and Seto was there, but now, she needed some time to think through everything, about the two of them. She was no good for him and neither was he for her. Seto was a man who lived by his own rules, his business meant everything for him. He wasn't the kind of man who suited her, who'd take care of her needs, and she pretty sure of what she needed or wanted in a man. Seto didn't fit any of the description, except the handsome part.

"So you won't see me off?" Delia sat straighter and stared at him coolly.

"I can't."

His agitation was palpable as he stood and paced. He didn't seem to like the idea any better than she did. He was doing his best, and she just had to accept that.

"I understand. You have to do what you have to do." _But can't you just spare me some time?_ Delia stopped herself before she uttered those words. She knew she would regret it if she begged him just so he allowed her to go with him. He had done enough for her already.

"You should go if you're busy. I'm going to take a shower."

When he said nothing, Delia climbed out of bed with as much dignity as she could muster.

_Why does everything always have to go wrong?_

* * *

Seto stopped himself from slamming down the receiver at the last moment. Where on earth was she? Ever since he left Domino City a week ago, he hadn't been able to get in touch with Delia. Part of it was due to the time difference, but another part was that she never answered any of his calls, even when he called her cellphone. He always received a recorded message. Why would a person want a cellphone if she wasn't going to turn it on? Why didn't he drag her with him? Why didn't he…?

_Stop! Just stop!_ Seto snarled to himself. This wasn't like him at all. Ever since he met Delia, things hadn't been the same, especially after she came to live with him. He should've just stayed as far from her as possible, but he couldn't even do that.

Now that he was in Los Angeles, all he could do was think about her all the time. It was driving him nuts to not know where she was or what she was doing.

_Where is she?_

Picking up the receiver, he called her again and got the same message. Finally, he decided enough was enough. He called his office back in Japan and got hold of his secretary.

"Mr. Kaiba, is there something you need?" Saki, his secretary, asked.

"Yes, get hold of Delia Yasune for me and tell her to answer her goddamned phone!" he roared the last two words and could almost see Saki flinch at his tone, but he didn't care at the moment.

"Yes, sir! I'll do my best!" Saki squeaked.

"Good." He hang up the phone and hoped Saki will do it soon, or maybe he should just make this trip shorter than planned.

* * *

Glancing around to make sure that no one was around, Delia left her hiding spot and tiptoed to the door. After making sure that the hallway was also empty, she left the room and headed for the stairs.

"Gotcha!" Mokuba jumped out of nowhere.

She stifled the scream as her heart seemed to leap out of her chest. "Where were you hiding?" she asked accusingly.

"Guess," he said with a mysterious smile.

As they rounded to the stairs, Delia saw that everyone was waiting for them downstairs in the entrance hall.

"Wow, I can't believe you got everyone."

"The brat's pretty good," Jyn said with a grin.

"It's my house, so of course I know every hiding place," Mokuba boasted.

"Great, maybe you can tell me some next time," Deal said and shot Mokuba a mischievous wink.

"No one's telling anybody anything!" Delia stepped in the middle and took control. "So who's next?"

"I am. It's not fair! How am I supposed to find everyone in this huge place?" Michael whined.

"Your home's the same size, so stop whining and start counting." Delia commanded and pointed to the door.

In a few seconds, everyone disappeared. Delia tiptoed to the kitchen and hide in the pantry, all the while praying that Michael wouldn't check it first. When she heard Michael yell that he was finished counting, she peeked out and caught sight of him climbing the stairs. Relieved, she quietly made her way toward the front door.

She made a dash for the door while Duke came from the other side. She ran faster even as they grinned one another. However, she had never been able to outrun Duke, and this was the case now. However, when Duke almost reached the door, in swung open and hit him right in the face, and some very colorful cursing that could be heard all through the mansion ensued.

However, Delia was rooted to the spot. Seto stood at the doorway. _What is he doing here?_ However, she didn't have time to ask her question as Duke shot up, blood streaming down from his nose.

Delia stifled a laugh and ran to his side. "Are you OK?"

"Do I look OK? I think he broke my nose." Duke's sleeves were already bloody from trying to stop the flow of blood.

"Oh, you poor baby. Let me see."

Delia didn't spare Seto another glance as she led Duke to the kitchen, where the first aid box was. Seto shut the door behind him and followed.

Gradually, the others came out one by one. Mokuba was of course the happiest to see his brother.

"What happened?" Dean asked as they surrounded Duke.

"He rammed the door into me," Duke muttered and pointed at Seto resentfully.

"We need to get you to a hospital," Delia said, suddenly worried since the bleeding wouldn't stop.

"There's no need. I've already called my doctor. He'll be here in a few minutes," Seto put away his cellphone as he spoke.

"Thanks. Now you just stay here and don't move a muscle," Delia ordered Duke, who mumbled his assent. She then left her circle of friends and shot Seto a look that said "come with me."

They went to the living room. Once again, Seto closed the door behind him.

Sitting down on the sofa, Delia crossed her legs and tried her best to look relaxed and nonchalant before asking, "Why are you back so early?"

Seto didn't bother with hiding his feeling. He crossed his arms, tension vibrating visibly off of him. "If you'd only pick up your phone once in a while, then maybe I didn't have to come back."

"Oh?" She lifted an elegant brow.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. How hard is it to answer the phone? And what are all of you doing here in my home?"

Delis simply gave a dainty shrug. "I don't think I ever received a phone call from you," she lied prettily through her teeth. "As for my friends, if I'm living here, I would think I can invite my friends over whenever."

"What game are you playing, Delia?" This time, Seto wasn't so much angry as wary.

"Nothing." When the doorbell rang, she stood up and dusted off her pants. "Now if you'll excuse me, my friend has a broken nose that you're responsible for. Don't worry. I'll ask them to leave right after I know Duke'll be fine."

Without waiting for his answer, she walked past him proudly, leaving him fuming in the living room.

About an hour later, everyone left. It was the longest she could manage, since she didn't want to face Seto again. She'd expected him to be furious about her not answering the phone. After all, if he had no time to spare for him, then he had no business calling her. Yet, she'd never expected him to come back.

"Mokuba, go to Kaiba Corp and files on my desk for me," Seto said to his brother, sending him on a fool's errand.

"Sure." Mokuba happily bounced out of the room, too happy to notice the tension between his brother and Delia.

"So you never answered my question. Why are you back early?"

"You know why." He scowled at her. Under normal circumstances, Delia would be intimated, but today she was feeling brave, not to mention just a tidbit annoyed.

"No, I don't. Tell me."

"Don't push it, Delia."

She flipped her hair back, but she returned his glare. "I'm always pushing it. Now tell me. Why are you calling me all the time?"

"I wouldn't call all the time if you'd only pick up once."

"OK. Why did you call in the first place? You're the one who said you didn't have any spare time for me."

"I don't, but that doesn't mean I don't miss you."

Hearing those words, Delia was stumped. It was what she wanted to hear, but why wasn't she happy? Instead, was she feeling ashamed?

"I'm sorry," she whispered. The guilt was overwhelming. What was she thinking? "I shouldn't have been so self-centered."

As he watched her blame herself, Seto sighed. He crossed over to her and lifted her chin to look at him. He gave her a wry smile and said, "Actually, I like it when you're self-centered. It brought me back, didn't it? Besides, I also bought this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two plane tickets.

"Two?" she asked, puzzled.

"Yes, two." Seto smirked when he saw that she still hadn't grasped his meaning. Yet, moments later, her entire face lit up with surprise and happiness. It made everything worth it.

"Really? Really?" Delia grabbed the tickets and read it seriously again and again, as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Yes, really." Seto couldn't help but grin. Her happiness was contagious.

Suddenly, Delia stopped moving and studied him warily. Something wasn't right. Seto was smiling. His blue eyes were alive with laughter and he looked years older. He took her breath away. This wasn't the cold and aloof Seto she had come to know, but she liked him nonetheless.

She was sure she had another question to ask him, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. She was going to Los Angeles with him! Unexpectedly, she hugged him and pressed her lips against his in a brief but sweet kiss. "Thank you."

* * *

Los Angeles was a bustling city filled with skyscrapers and highways crisscrossing everywhere. It simply amazed her. There were very few people on the streets compared to Domino City. It didn't have the elegance of the European cities, where buildings hundreds of years old mixed with modern buildings. However, it had a life of its own. It was a purity of the modern world, a symbol of the twenty-first century.

She had few positive memories of the place, only those of the dark and musty room where her kidnapper had kept her. After what happened twelve years ago, she had never returned to this city. Before, she never understood why her parents didn't allow her to visit LA, but now she understood. They were afraid that she would remember if she ever saw this city again.

Seto's home stood over a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. With miles and miles of endless blue ocean, it was a beautiful sight. The Pacific projected a calmness that instantly seeped into her, unlike the raging Atlantic that had always made her restless with its waves crashing against the shore.

"Do you like it?" Seto asked behind her.

She smiled without turning back. He had bought the house for her, because if it was only for himself, he would have stayed at the hotel.

"Yes, it's beautiful, but you didn't have to buy it. I could've stayed at the hotel with you."

"Why? This is much better than the view any hotel can provide."

"Yes, but it's so much money. Besides, you had it decorated it in one day."

He only smirked. "Money's not a problem, you know that. As for the decoration, the old owner left everything here, so I didn't have to do anything."

"Really? That's good."

Seto led her to one of the bedrooms. Her eyes widened as she rushed to the floor to ceiling glass window that overlooked the Pacific.

"Wow, it's amazing!" She touched the window softly, awed by the view.

"I'm glad you like it. This is our room."

It took a few seconds for his words to sink in. When it did, she whirled around to face him. "Our? But… you don't mean that, do you?" Panic and exhilaration swamped her at the same time. Seto crossed over to her in a few confident strides.

"Of course I mean it. I don't want you to have your own room."

"But we can't! There must be other rooms in this place."

Seto laughed at her panic stricken voice. "Of course there are other rooms." His arms locked around her and pulled her against his hard frame. "I just want you next to me every night." Amusement lit his face as her face turned tomato red. "Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything to you." He paused and looked thoughtful for a second. "Well, unless you want me to."

Her laugh was muffled against his shirt. This was definitely a side of him she hadn't seen before. It was a lot more fun than the stuffy Seto she was used to, but somehow he was still the same. "Don't even think about it. You're lucky I'm not killing you at the moment."

"I take that as a yes."

Her arms came around him as she replied, "Yes, but no groping, although there can be cuddling and snuggling."

He faked a sigh as if in disappointment. "Agreed."

* * *

**A/N: OK. Nothing much to say. Somewhat of a short chapter. Sorry if there're mistakes, but I didn't really have time to read over it, but I hope this chapter made your day better lol. God knew I had a hard week and only more midterms to come. **

**Please REVIEW as always.**

**Your favorite author,**

**Yohina**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hi!! As always, big thanks to all the reviews!!! This should've come out last week when I had Spring Break, but for some reason I didn't have the motivation to write, so that's why it's been delayed until now. But it's a rather long chapter compared to others and a lot happened, so that should make up for it, no?  
**

**Enjoy!!  
**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Delia walked along the stretch of beach, her feet sinking into the soft sand. The warm water washed over her feet, barely coming up to her ankle. It was her last day in LA before leaving for Egypt. She won't return to Domino City. Instead, she would take a plane from LA directly to Cairo, where Marik will pick her up afterwards.

The past few weeks had been wonderful. She still had nightmares occasionally, but with Seto beside her, she was slowly healing. Those scars of the past were slowly fading away while she stayed with Seto. Jyn and Kirk even visited her once, and all of them had gone to Disneyland together. She couldn't convince Seto to go with her, but she planned on convincing him sometime in the future.

She sat down on the beach and simply enjoyed watching and listening to the waves. A storm was coming. She could see the clouds gathering far away over the horizon. Yet, the wind felt great. With nothing to occupy her, her thoughts turned to her parents and Hara. What were they doing now? How were they? She hadn't heard from them ever since she moved out. They seemed to understand her need to stay away, but she missed them just a little.

"You're out early."

Delia looked up as Seto draped a jacket over her. "I couldn't sleep. Did I wake you?" she asked as he sat down beside her.

"No. I was awake before you got up."

Neither of them said anything for a moment. They had spent time like this in the past few weeks. Sometimes they would talk about pointless things, other times they would just sit here quietly and enjoy each other's company. She'd never thought she could be comfortable just sitting here with him, doing nothing, but she was. His presence soothed her. She enjoyed watching him and wondering about him. He never spoke about personal things. Even though she wished to know everything about him, she refrained from asking him, hoping that one day he would share them with her by himself, without any pressure from her.

"What do you want to do today?" Seto suddenly asked without looking at her.

"Why? Don't you have work?"

"I can reschedule things. It's your last day here, so I want to take you somewhere."

"You already took me to so many places, Seto. I don't want to impose on you anymore."

"Delia," he said her name softly, taking her hand in his. Their gazes met, and she was somewhat shocked by the sincerity she saw. "You're leaving tomorrow. I want to spend the day with you."

"Fine! How about Disneyland?" she suggested and smiled when Seto grimaced.

"Anywhere but there."

"Come on! What's so bad about Disneyland? Every kid likes Disney, didn't you?"

Seto snorted contemptuously. "What's so good about Disneyland? Besides, we're not kids anymore."

_Not kids anymore, huh?_ she thought with annoyance, but suddenly a bright idea occurred to her. She suddenly stood up and ran into the water.

Confused, Seto stood up to and called, "Delia?"

Knee-deep in water, she whirled around. Without a playful smile, her hands hit the water, splashing it toward Seto. The stunned look on his face was priceless. Delia laughed so hard she thought she was going to fall in the water. She screeched when Seto, with a murderous look on his face, stormed into the water, clothes and all, and splashed water at her.

They had a water fight afterwards. Seto didn't let her off easy. In the end, she had to call it quits because she was giggling so hard. Seto, for his part, was also laughing like a little kid as they played. Somehow, they made it out of the waves in one piece and collapsed on the sand in fits of laughter.

"God, that was great!" Delia said between gasps of breath.

"I can't believe I did that. Now my clothes are all wet."

"Hmm." Her eyes glinted with pure female appreciation as she said with a grin, "You look good."

"And so do you."

Her smile disappeared at the intense look in his eyes. She couldn't move as he leaned over to kiss her. The world around her fell away when their lips touched. He tasted like the sea and pure masculinity. She groaned and went willingly when he pulled her closer. The heat of his body burned through their wet clothing and seemed to reach into the core of her, igniting the embers of passion into a burning inferno.

She didn't know how it happened, but one minute, the kiss was light and tentative, but the next, it was pure possession. His arms around her tightened to bands of steel as he ravished her. A flaming urgency seemed to have overcome him and then transferred to her, as she responded to him, her movements matching his fervor.

She thought she was in a world of bliss, with him surrounding her, when he pulled away. Her mouth opened in protest, but she stopped when she caught the look in his eyes. Passion had turned his blue eyes dark, like the stormy sea she'd seen a few days ago. He said nothing, but then he didn't have to. She knew why he'd stopped, because she knew that if he hadn't, they'd have gone a lot farther than just a kiss.

"Stay with me," he finally rasped.

How she wished she could! But if she didn't go to Egypt, she knew she would never escape her past. She had healed here with Seto beside her, in the city that had caused her most pain, but that process would never complete if she never stood up on her two feet, and forever depended on others. She would be crippled for life.

He saw the answer before she said anything. With a jerky movement, he turned away and stood up.

"Seto, wait!"

But he didn't. As if he didn't hear her, which she knew he did, he walked away, just like that. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest. What if he wouldn't come back? But a part of her knew he would. He had come back for her once, so he would at least see her off this time.

She just wished that he would understand.

* * *

He did understand. Damn it! As someone who had forged his own path in life, from that orphanage, to the CEO he had become now, he only understood her too well, understood her need to be independent, to have the ability to stand on her own two feet, before she could stay with him.

He just wished he didn't.

For, if he didn't understand, he could make some excuse to have her stay, to have her give up the trip to Egypt.

Seto sighed as he stared out the window of his office, at nothing in particular.

He had to let her go. It was probably one of the hardest decisions he'll ever have to make. Let her go to Egypt, and hopefully she'll return to him completely healed, and ready to begin another chapter of her life, with him in it.

It was almost time to go. While he had thought about spending the day with her, after what had happened on the beach, he thought it would be wise for him to leave, to cool his head with work. Now that he was calm, and had accepted her decision, it was time to go back.

"Where's Delia?" he asked the maid once he was home.

"Miss Yasune is still at the pool, Mr. Kaiba," the maid answered.

"Thank you. You can go now."

Seto went straight to the pool. There, he found her curled on one of the chairs, fast asleep. He crossed over to her and sat on the side of the chair and found himself smiling indulgently as he brushed back her hair. At his touch, she turned and almost tipped over the chair. He chuckled as she jumped up with a shriek, her eyes wide with shock.

"Seto, is that you?" she asked, looking sleepy again. Her voice was drowsy and husky, reminding him of long nights of love making. Before he let that thought grow, he lifted her up and headed back to their room. She was wearing nothing but her swimsuit, but despite the warm weather, he was afraid that she could catch a cold. She sighed softly, content as she settled in his arms without complaint, and slowly drifted back to sleep.

He laid her in bed and pulled the covers over her. She was already dry from lying outside for so long. He wanted to wake her up for a shower or tell her to change her clothes, but he didn't have the heart to do it. She looked so peaceful and content, just lying there in bed. She belonged there, he realized, she belonged in his bed, in his life.

"You should change your clothes if you want to sleep," he whispered, deciding that he wouldn't be able to sleep at all if she was just wearing her bikinis.

She moaned and turned her head away before answering, "In a second."

He planted a kiss to her temple gently and then took a quick shower, washing the day's work away while thoughts of her leaving tomorrow invaded his mind. _If I wish to see her, I can just go visit her. It is just a plane ride away_, he told himself, disgusted by how besotted he was.

When he came out again, Delia was still in bed, but he noticed that she had changed her clothes. He climbed in beside her, but before he could hold her, she sat up and slid out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"Shower."

Seto stayed in bed, listening to the sound of the water coming from the other room. Usually, he would be up and about, doing as much work as possible in as little time as possible. However, today, he couldn't bring himself to move, instead enjoying the salty breeze that floated through the window and listening to the crashing of the waves against the cliff.

"What are you thinking about?" Delia's voice jolted him out of his thoughts. He hadn't even realized that he was slowly falling asleep and that she had finished.

"Nothing particularly." He turned and propped his head up on his elbow as he studied her. She had put on a blue silk robe that did nothing to hide her body. Her face was flushed from the shower while her hair hung in wet tendrils down her face.

"Tell me about you."

Seto blinked, surprised by the question. "About what?"

Delia rolled onto her back and stretched before facing him. "Anything. I want to know more about you."

"There's really nothing to know about me." He shrugged, uncomfortable with the subject. He had no wish to visit the past because he didn't believe in reliving the past or regretting it. To him, that was a waste of time since he could not possibly change the past.

"Come on. Your life can't be _that_ boring." She grinned with laughter in her eyes.

"Compared to yours, it is very much _that_ boring." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them, for dark shadows crept into her eyes. In order to take her mind off of what had happened to her, he decided to tell her about himself.

"My parents died when I was still a young kid. Mokuba and I were sent to an orphanage. He was my only family left, so I took care of him the best I could, though no one can replace our parents," he said softly, recalling those days back at the orphanage, when he was so young. As he spoke about Mokuba, the love for his younger brother welled up inside him unexpectedly. "When adults came to see us, I refused to go with them without Mokuba—"

"That's sweet of you. Not every brother is willing to do that," Delia interrupted. Their gazes met. Seto felt the blush coming at her compliment, so he looked away.

"It was just something I felt like I had to do. He is my little brother, after all. I cannot just abandon him. Then one day, as I was watching TV, I saw Gosaoburo Kaiba playing chess. He claimed to be unbeatable, so one day, when he came to the orphanage, I challenged him to a match. If I win, then he had to adopt Mokuba and me."

"You won." This time, her eyes were full of suspicion. "Just how smart at you?"

His lips curved up slowly. How did she always come up with these strange questions? Yet, this was one of the things that made her so special. "Smarter than you, obviously," he replied with a smug grin. With her, he could tease and be playful, something he'd stopped doing long ago after his parents' death. She seemed to take off some of his burdens off of his shoulders, however temporary that might be. Just the thought of her going to Egypt tomorrow made his heart ache.

"Hah! I bet you'd like to think that," she pouted, but then asked him to go on.

"Well, afterwards, he adopted both Mokuba and me. We attended the best schools, had the best teachers, but he wasn't an easy man and we simply hated each other." He sneered whenever he thought of his foster father. "It was great when I got rid of him from the company. If he didn't underestimate me so much, maybe he'd had his company for a while longer."

"How did you…get rid of him?"

"Several years ago, he taught me how to run the company. I didn't like the way he worked, so I decided to buy the company from him."

"How old were you then?"

"Fourteen."

Surprisingly, Seto felt Delia's arms around him. She was comforting him, he realized, and was both touched and embarrassed by the gesture. He didn't really know what to do except to hold her as well.

"You are such a tough guy, Seto, running the company ever since you were fourteen and changing it completely from what it was," she whispered, her voice so soft that he had trouble hearing her.

He stiffened. "How do you know?"

"I found out online, when I was trying to find some way to kill you without anyone noticing."

He heard the smile in her voice as she mumbled those words. From her drowsy voice, she must be sleepy again, so he said nothing but stood up and turned off the lights. The room fell into a peaceful silence except for the sound of the crashing waves from below. When he returned to her, Delia was already asleep.

Feeling the peace and contentment as he always did whenever he was with her, Seto held her close, taking in her scent and the feel of her body against his. He closed his eyes with a contented sigh and soon fell asleep, dreaming of her.

* * *

As soon as Delia stepped out of the plane, a blast of hot air hit her. Marik had warned her about the heat in Egypt, but she didn't think it would be that bad. After she finished with custom and got her luggage, she waited for Marik near the gate. Although it was hotter near the pickup gate, at least there was a small wind to make it all better, unlike the stagnant air in the airport that was literally choking her.

As she waited, she regretted wearing the T-shirt and the khakis, she should've picked something much cooler, like maybe a sundress or a skirt and a small tank. Slowly, her thoughts drifted to Seto, as it always did these days. He wasn't able to see her off, which was a big disappointment, but she was calling him as soon as she arrives at the hotel. She missed him already, and it scared her how much she wished to be with him. She'd never felt this way about anyone before. She just hoped that no matter what the future holds, this thing between Seto and her won't end badly, like so many other relationships.

"Delia, there you are!"

Delia turned at the familiar voice and saw Marik crossing over to her with two other guys about the same age. "Sorry we're late. There was just too much traffic." He halted beside her and grinned sheepishly.

"I told you not to drive the car, but you wouldn't listen," one of the others grumbled. He was tall, probably as tall as Seto. He was very tanned, probably due to the long hours working under the blazing Egyptian sun. His eyes were a dark chocolate brown. His full lips were turned down in a frown. He was very handsome, in a rugged sort of way. She thought he would probably look good in a suit, in the I-want-to-take-them-off-him way good.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Marik merely waved off the comment before introducing him. "Delia, this is Zaid Kontar"—and then pointing to the other young man with them—"And that's Zahur. They're brothers."

"Nice to meet you." She shook hands with them. Zahur looked a lot like his brother, with the same eyes and tanned skin, but he was built smaller, in a pretty boy sort of way, rather than the masculine strength his brother emanated.

"Nice to meet you too. Your father is our savior. Without his funding, we wouldn't be able to start on the project."

"I'm glad to hear that." No matter how much her parents had hurt her, she still loved them, and was proud of them for what they do.

"What're you doing here? Keeping tabs on us?" Immediately, she knew Zaid wouldn't be as easy-going as his brother. When Marik and Zahur turned on him, his shackles rose higher. "What? You've got no business bringing a girl to the dig. She'll just hurt herself."

"My sister is a girl, and you don't see her get her," Marik's retort was laced with anger

"Ishizu's a different matter." Zaid dismissed the argument easily. "She's been brought up to do this, but look at her." His condescending tone instantly made her spine stiffen. "She's a city-bred rich girl. She probably can't lift a shovel, much less dig. She won't be able to stand the heat and work. Look at what she's wearing."

"There is nothing wrong with what I'm wearing," she hissed. She shot Marik a death glare when he moved to interfere and continued on, "So what if I'm a city-bred rich girl? I can lift a shovel just fine, I assure you. If I do hurt myself, that's because I'm new to all this, as I am sure you've forgotten how that feels since you've probably been doing this ever since you can crawl. And I'll get used to the heat, just as I'm sure you'll get used to my presence around the site."

Their angry glares locked and a clash of wills ensured. However, Delia suddenly realized with a jolt that this was exactly how it had been with Seto in the beginning, and she suddenly wanted to laugh. Her expression probably changed, for Zaid looked confused for a second.

"Do whatever you wish. If anything should happen to you, it is not my responsibility," Zaid spit out and sauntered away without taking any of her luggage. She wondered why Marik brought him in the first place.

"Sorry, Miss Yasune—"

"Call me Delia, please."

"Zahur, then." His smile was friendly and shy. Zahur seemed to be the opposite of his brother. "Zaid just wasn't happy that the government refuses to fund the project. He really believes all the things about duel monsters, but the government doesn't care about that. He's always done things his way, so I guess he must feel that you're here to instruct him on how to do things since your father is funding this"

Delia couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled out of her. "That's ridiculous. I don't know a thing about archeology, but I'm hoping to learn. Your brother is an idiot." _A lot like someone I know_, she added inwardly.

"What?" she asked again when Marik and Zahur laughed at what she said.

"Oh, nothing really, it's just no one calls Zaid _an idiot_ except for our parents," Zahur explained.

"Well, he definitely is. If not, then he's just sexist."

"That's true. Zaid doesn't believe that women should be at the dig, except for Ishizu, but you're lucky this time. The site is near the city, so you don't really have to stay out in the trailer with us if you don't want to, and we probably won't suffer from any sandstorms."

Her face paled a little when she heard that. "Sandstorms?"

Seeing her shocked face, Marik grinned, "Don't worry. It won't get bad near the city. If we were out in the middle of nowhere, then you should worry."

"I'm going to take your word on this. If I die because of a sandstorm, I'm going to haunt you for the rest of your life." For emphasis, she turned to Zahur and added, "You too."

They both laughed. "Then we'll just make sure that you don't die."

"Good"

Zaid was already waiting in the car for them. Just like he said, she didn't like the oppressive heat that much, but she'll deal with just, just like she told him she would.

Even though the airport was at the outskirt of the city, people were still everywhere, some dressed casually in Western clothes while others wore the traditional Muslim garb. Since the traffic was even worse than that of New York City, she really had an eyeful of Egypt as they moved to their destination at a snail's pace.

The three of them kept a light conversation, but Zaid stayed quiet, except for the occasional rude comment that had her blood boiling with anger, but she decided to ignore him. As they entered the city proper, the streets became even more crowded if that was possible.

"We're here already?" Delia asked when the car stopped in front of the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

"Move it!" Zaid snapped from outside

"Shut up." She shot him a glare and got out. Zaid had already taken her luggage from the trunk and was heading inside already.

"Wow, you guys booked an awesome hotel."

Marik looked at her questioningly. "This is one of your father's hotels, didn't you know that?" Delia shrugged, she truly didn't. It wasn't like she kept a track of her dad's hotels around the world. Marik continued, "The entire team is staying here for free, well, only for the rooms, but we get fifty percent discount on everything else."

"Oh really? I had no idea."

Her room was on the 6th floor, where the suites were. Marik and someone else lived in the room next to hers while his sister lived in the room at one end of the hallway. Others from the team were on the 3rd floor, as Marik told her.

"Zahur, where's your room?" she asked him as they dropped her things off. She planned to unpack as soon as she get some rest.

"Oh, we have our own place a few miles from here. We have a great view of the Mediterranean. You should come visit us sometimes if you get a break," Zahur told her.

"You have a home here?"

"Yeah, we stay here most of the time, but if there is another job that Zaid is interested in, we'd pack up and leave, even then, we come back here."

"Oh yeah, before we go, you should know that there is a charity ball at the Atkins' mansion on Sunday. We are all invited, including you, since John Atkins is a good friend of Zaid's and has funded several of our projects. He heard about you and wanted to meet you," Marik said.

"Me? Why?"

"Dunno." Marik shrugged. "I suspect it's because he actually wanted to fund the project, since his son just finished his Masters in archeology and wanted a real project, but he contacted us after sis made the agreement with Mr. Yasune, so we couldn't do anything."

"Do I have to go?" Delia asked in disgust. "I hate charity balls. They're nothing but a bunch of extremely rich people exchanging gossip using charity as an excuse."

"Unless you want to be rude, you don't have to," Zaid said, leaning against the door.

"Maybe I'll do just that," she snapped for the sake of pissing him off. She really could care less about what others thought of her, but she didn't want them to think badly of her family, so in the end, she gave up and sighed, "But I don't have anything to wear."

Zaid snorted in contempt. "Someone like _you_ don't have anything to wear? Right."

"Excuse me, but _I _didn't come here to attend balls," she snapped.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Ishizu have something for you to wear. If not, you always have time to shop before the party." Zahur stepped in as the peacemaker. "Anyway, I'm sure you're tired, so we'll just leave now."

"Bye, and thanks." She walked them to the door and closed it behind them, but not before shooting Zaid a glare.

Once she was alone, she opened one of her suitcases and took out some clean clothes. After a refreshing shower, she glanced at the clock. It was just the right time to call to Japan, so she picked up the phone and dialed Seto's number.

"Hello, Seto Kaiba speaking." Seto's voice was still husky, probably because he was still half-asleep.

"Hi Seto! Aren't you going to be late for work today?" Her spirit soared just at hearting his voice, so she plopped down on bed happily and even bounced a little.

"Delia?" Sleep cleared from his voice. She imagined him sitting up and running a hand through his hair, tousling it even more, while he looked for the clock to see what time it was.

"The one and only!" she chirped. "I did promise to call."

"Yeah, so how's Egypt?"

"Haven't you been here before?"

"No. There's not really much business over there, so I've never really traveled to anywhere in Africa."

"Oh." That was just like him. Business all the time. "I haven't really seen much, except for the ride from the airport. It doesn't feel much different from other cities, but it's really hot. Oh, guess what?"

"What?" She had to give it to him, he sounded genuinely interested.

"I found your replica," she said with a grin, thinking of Zaid.

"My _what_?" he asked with exasperation.

She laughed. "He's exactly like you. I mean, not look alike, though he is quite handsome." You could almost hear Seto snapping his teeth on the other end and felt even happier. "Don't worry. You're my favorite, Mr. Kaiba. Anyway, his name is Zaid Kontar—"

"Kontar?"

"What? You already know him?" _I should've known. How could he not?_

"No, but if I'm not wrong, his father is probably the CEO of Kontar Enterprises, in real estate. I met the father and the heir last year, but there wasn't anyone named Zaid."

"Oh, too bad. You should've seen the guy. He treated me just like you—"

"What?" Seto barked, furious. "Did he kiss you? Touch you?"

At his question, Delia roared with laughter and choked on the coke she was drinking. "Stop interrupting me!" she shouted when she could speak again. "I meant he treated me like you treated me when we first met."

"Is there any difference?" he asked wryly.

"Haha, very funny. Anyway, I'm out to prove that he's wrong about me. There's nothing wrong about me being a girl, about my clothes, and I can lift and use a shovel just fine."

"Great, just make sure he doesn't end up where I am."

"What's wrong with where you are? Hmm… maybe I should try that, don't you think? It'd be so nice to have such a handsome guy—"

"Delia…" Seto warned, his voice laced with menace.

She pouted, even though he couldn't see it. "I was just joking, geez. As if I can like anyone but you." She rolled her eyes. "Well, I've taken enough of your time now. You're probably going to be late for work, not that it matters."

"Yeah, whatever. What's your number?"

"My number?"

"Yeah, so I can call you instead of you calling me all the time."

A warm glow spread through her at his thoughtfulness. She told him her hotel number quickly. "But I'm not sure I'll be here most of the time. I'm going to get a cellphone and I'll tell you the number later."

"Sure."

"Seto, I miss you," she said, the words coming out of her before she could stop them.

"I miss you too. I hope you come back soon." There was a note in his voice that made her heart ache.

"Yeah, I hope so too. Well, bye." The last word came out on a sigh.

"Good night."

After hanging up, she lied back in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about the conversation. She really wished that Seto was here with her. _Oh well, it can't be helped. Might as well finish unpacking instead of brooding._ And getting up, she did just that.

* * *

Delia looked into the mirror again, for like the hundredth time. It just wasn't like her, to be this self-conscious, but she had to look good, if only to be a good image for her family.

"You look great. Do not be so worried. The Atkins are very nice people," Ishizu reassured her.

"I hope so."

Delia sighed as she straightened out the dress. In the end, she didn't have time to go shopping, so she borrowed a forest green dress from Ishizu. She and Ishizu had about the same build, so it fit, although a little snug since she was more built than Ishizu. Ishizu also had a matching pair of heels to go with it. At first, she hadn't liked the dress due to the thin straps and the low back, but she fell in love with it after trying it on.

"Hey, are you ready to go?" Marik stood at the door, looking handsome as ever in his black Armani suit.

"Yeah."

Delia took a deep breath to calm herself and took Marik's arm as she walked carefully in the heels, praying that she wouldn't trip herself. Every time this happened she always decided to walk more often in heels to get used to them, but after the event, she never did.

"You look great," Marik said with a genuine smile.

"Thanks. It took quite a while to get ready."

The drive to the Atkins' mansion was smooth. The city was still bustling with people. While it was all business and work during the day, the night was for the tourists as they roamed the streets, the stores, and ate outside under the bright stars and moon.

The Atkins had an estate outside of the city, much like Seto's back in Domino City. They pulled into the circular driveway and waited until it was their turn. Everywhere she looked she saw the glamorous and the rich, as she'd done her whole life, and like always, she felt a heavy weight in her heart, as if she couldn't wait to get away from this moneyed world.

"Shall we go in, my lady?" Marik's teasing question brought her attention back to the party at hand. Their limo had finally arrived at the front gate. She gave him a regal nod as she took his offered arm and stepped out of the car.

As soon as she stepped out of the car, before she could do anything, she heard an audible gasp beside her. Her head turned and blood drained from her face, leaving her pale as a ghost under the lights.

She was staring at a face that was almost identical to hers.

_Hara_?

* * *

**A/N: Hahaha, the fun is finally starting. Now that Delia is in Egypt, I have plenty of stuff planned for her, some good, and some bad (isn't that always the case?). Also, it's almost to where I stopped writing years ago on this story, so now I'd have to do more planning. To be honest, I haven't thought of an ending for this yet, so we shall see...**

**Please REVIEW!!!**

**Best,**

**Yohina  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Delia froze as she took in the person standing opposite of her. It wasn't Hara; of course not. First of all, that person was a he, not a she, a very annoyed "he" whose grayish eyes were narrowed in speculation and suspicion. It gave her a jolt to see that he had her eyes. Not only that, he did look like Hara and herself, except he was the male version of her and her sister.

He was very tall, probably six three or four, and lanky in build, with wide shoulders, narrow waist and long legs. He had the same dark tan as Zaid, as someone who spent all his time under the sun. His midnight black hair was streaked with light brown and reached the collar of his shirt, curling a little at the end. Unlike others present, he didn't slick it back with gel and just let it run wildly by itself.

Tall, dark, and dangerous, he filled all those qualification perfectly. Yet…

"Welcome." The sound of the woman's voice brought her attention back to the present. The woman who spoke had a warm face that was just slowly getting over from shock. Her gray hair was mixed with black and pulled back into a small bun.

_His mother, probably._

"Hi, this is a surprise," Delia said, yet she didn't mean to be rude as she snuck another look at the mysterious man, who continued to stare at her unabashedly.

"Mrs. Atkins, Mr. Atkins, how are you?" Zaid appeared behind her, looking handsome and even like a businessman in his black suit.

"Hello, Zaid. We're good as ever. And who is this?" Mr. Atkins, who was over six feet himself, stood beside his wife and shook Zaid's hand before looking at Delia.

Delia hadn't even noticed him before now, which made her feel really silly. After all, he was probably a man who enjoyed power and attention, but she just hadn't paid any attention.

"This is Miss Delia Yasune," Zaid introduced. They moved aside to let other guests pass through. Some just said a single greeting and headed in, but Delia saw the speculative looks some people gave her and Mr. Atkins's son.

"Miss Delia Yasune, so you're one of Drake's daughters," Mr. Atkins said with a smile.

"Yes, I'm Delia, his youngest daughter. Have you met my father before, Mr. Atkins?"

"Yes, several years ago, in Europe. And this is my son, Anthony." Another shock. Anthony, Tony, they were the same name. Her thoughts took a sharp turn. Yet, it didn't seem possible. But Tony was "kidnapped"; it didn't mean he was dead. Maybe he really got adopted… but… God, she was really confused.

"Are you OK, Delia? You don't look too well," Marik commented.

Delia gave him a weak smile. To be honest, she was feeling a little dizzy. "I'll just go sit down for a while. Excuse me." She smiled politely at everyone and made her way inside. After finding a small alcove, she sat down and took several deep breaths until her vision was normal again.

She didn't move from her spot even when everything began, meaning that Mr. Atkins gave his speech. Instead, she closed her eyes and continued to try to stay calm. Every time she thought about Tony, she thought she was going to faint. So what if the guy looked like her and was called Anthony? It didn't mean that he was her brother. Heck, the Atkins was a really respectful family. They wouldn't adopt a kidnapped boy, especially when that boy was two-years-old instead of an infant.

Unwittingly, the memories returned, of when her selfishness led to Tony's kidnapping. She recalled Tony's cries, and her own hatred toward him since he had all the attention. It hadn't hurt at that time, but what came afterwards hurt. All those hard words thrown toward her by her mother, the looks of disappointment from her father. How many times had she wondered about why they didn't love her? Just how many? It was as if she wasn't their child, but just another person they needed to take care of.

She wanted to curl up and cry again. She hadn't thought about it for some time now, ever since she regained her memories, but now, seeing that familiar face and of the possibilities, they all came back at once. The tears came before she could stop them, and she was glad that she chose such a dark spot to hide in. She simply leaned back and let the tears come, knowing that there was no way of stopping it.

And almost jumped out of her skin when someone brushed them away.

When her eyes shot open, she met her own eyes. Disoriented, she thought it was Hara until she remembered where she was.

"Why are you crying?" Anthony asked softly, studying her and her tear-stained face.

"Who's crying?" She wiped away the tears, careful of her mascara. Luckily, the alcove was too dark for anyone to see her makeup clearly. When Anthony sat down beside her, she sort of panicked, and asked with irritation, "Shouldn't you be mingling?"

"I am mingling. You're a guest," he said pointedly as he handed her a glass of lemonade.

"Not wine?" Instead of hers, she indicated to his glass, which held lemonade as well.

"I'm not old enough yet, not that that matters. I just don't feel like wine tonight."

"How old are you?" she asked just to check, though she wasn't sure she really wanted the answer.

"Eighteen."

Delia's knuckles turned white as she gripped the glass tightly. It was either that or drop it. _Can it actually be true? Can he really be Tony?_ She shook her head, unaware that she'd done so.

"Something wrong?"

"No, nothing. You can go now."

His brow arched in amusement. "Kind of rude, aren't you?"

She matched his expression. "What kind of host tells that to his guest?" Then she sighed and apologized, "And I'm sorry if I did sound rude. I just really want to be alone."

"If you want to be alone, why did you come?"

"Well, gee, I wonder, would meeting someone that could be my twin counts?" she asked dryly.

He chuckled and suddenly didn't seem as forbidding as he had been at the front door. "Come on. Dance with me."

"Dance?" she asked, aghast. Couples were slow-dancing on the dance floor to the live orchestral music. "I don't dance."

"Really? I thought anyone with your upbringing could at least dance."

"I was only thinking of your well-being," she retorted. "If you still want to be able to walk afterwards, I suggest that we don't dance."

"If you mean you're going to step all over my feet, I don't mind."

"You're brave, I'll give you that." She smiled, then recalled her ruined makeup. "Wait, where's the lady's room?"

"Over there." She followed the direction he pointed in and saw the sign.

"Thanks. I'll be right back."

Once she was in the lady's room, Delia saw that her eye makeup was completely ruined. There was nothing to do but wash it off, which she did. After she figured that she looked presentable, she left, to find Anthony waiting for her exactly where she left him.

"You made it in record time."

"Thanks," she grinned and took his offered hand, allowing him to lead her to the dance floor.

"Are we friends?" Delia asked him somewhat suspiciously as they swayed to the music.

He took his time thinking about it. Delia was about to give up when his eyes lit up with mischief. "Hmm, we met less than two hours ago, but we could be twins. I like your style, and you came out of the lady's room in less than five minutes. Yeah, I think we're friends."

"Good, then I think it's safe to tell you I'm not a lady, at least not the kind everyone here expects me to be."

"I thought as much," he said with a boyish grin.

"How insulting!" She gave a fake pout.

"No, it's just no true lady would move from Japan or US to Egypt with the mind of working on an archeological dig, especially if her father is funding the dig."

Delia's eyes narrowed as she said, "If you want to know something about the dig, just ask. I don't like politics, and you have to know that I don't know a thing about it. Zaid wouldn't tell me anything." Saying that, they made a turn and she stepped on his foot.

"Was that deliberate?" he asked with a wince.

"Of course not. I warned you, didn't I? Besides, if I did do it on purpose, you'd be hopping one foot right now."

"Really?"

"Really," she assured. "Want me to give it a try?"

"No thanks. I'll pass. Some things just aren't worth it."

"Excuse me, but do you mind if I steal her now?" Marik tapped Anthony as they passed by him.

"No, of course not. You're a lifesaver," Anthony said the second sentence while giving her a wink. Then he passed her hand to Marik in a slick move and took Marik's partner's hand in the same way. "Enjoy your night, Miss Yasune."

"I will." Delia's lips curved up in a genuine smile as she watched Anthony and his new partner move away.

"You're looking better already," Marik commented as they moved around the floor.

"Yeah. It just shocked me at the beginning, I guess, seeing someone other than Hara that looked like my twin," she replied with a shrug.

"I'm sorry. I would've warned you, but this is my first time meeting him too."

"It's all right." She paused. Something Marik just said reminded her of something. "Wait, you mentioned that Anthony has a Masters in Archeology already, right? But he's only eighteen."

"Well, he's a genius. I heard that he could've gotten his PH.D. already, but he didn't want to go through the trouble of getting it."

A genius too? Everything was too coincidental. Was fate playing another trick on her? If Anthony was really her brother, what was the point of finding him now? After she'd remembered everything? Should she make sure, but that would just open old wounds again. Her parents had already stopped trying to track down Tony for a long time now, so should she still dig into Anthony's background?

* * *

Delia couldn't sleep that night. She couldn't stop thinking about Anthony. What should she do about him? It wouldn't hurt just to check, would it? No one else had to know about it. If he really was her brother, she would be the only one to know. She would just be happy that Tony was safe and had found a home where he'd grown up happy with everything he needed.

The next morning, as soon as possible, she called Seto. _Come on. Pick up._ It would probably be seven or eight in LA, so hopefully Seto was already back from work.

"Hello, Kaiba residence," someone other than Seto answered the phone.

"Hi, this is Delia Yasune. Is Seto available?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Yasune. Mr. Kaiba isn't home yet. Would you like to leave a message?"

"Yes, would you tell him to—"

"Delia?" Seto suddenly cut her off in the middle of her sentence.

"Seto? I thought you aren't back yet."

"I actually just walked in the door. Is there something you need?"

She wondered why he sounded so curt, but that was just Seto for you, always straight to business, so she did the same. "Seto, do you know of the Atkins?"

"Yeah, but they mainly deal in Europe and northern Africa. What's up? Did you meet them?"

"I did. They threw a charity ball last night, and I went. Their son, Anthony," she hesitated, "he looked exactly like me."

There was a moment of silence. Then Seto spoke, "You think he's your brother?"

Once again, straight to the point. "I don't know. Could you check it for me?"

"Check it?" He sounded puzzled.

"Yes. Can't you find some records about Anthony? About whether he's adopted or not? I just want to make sure."

"So let me get this straight, you want me to hack into the system to do a background check on Anthony Atkins."

"Bingo!"

There was another pause. "Delia, if he _is_ your brother, what will you do?"

She sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. I don't plan on doing anything. I just want to know if he really is Tony. You know we all thought Tony is dead after not finding him all those years."

"I'll do it, but—"she could almost see wheels in his head turning—"what do I get?"

His question stunned her. She never thought she'd have to pay him for this. "What do you want?" she snapped, suddenly angry.

"I want you." His words made her pause. "I want to see you, hold you, kiss you, and make love to you."

"I…" she stammered, flustered. It would be so much easier if he had only asked for money. Finally, she mumbled, "you should've said that before I left."

"Come back to me, Delia."

"No." With great effort, she pulled herself out of the magic his words had woven around her. "I have to do this, Seto. I'll see you when the dig is over." Whenever that is. "Good night."

"Have a nice day, Delia."

Once she hung up, Delia just sat there, thinking. She shouldn't have called Seto. Wasn't the whole point of coming to Egypt to find her independence? Yet, she was still depending on him in every way that counted.

Why couldn't she just be stronger?

Before she could sink into a pit of despair over her own helplessness, someone knocked on the door. It must be either Zaid or Marik, coming to pick her up for work. She scrambled out of bed and rifled through her suitcase, trying to find some clothes.

Who knows? Maybe this day will get better.

* * *

Delia was amazed at the activities around her. Everyone was doing more than one thing at once. Even though there were no more than thirty people around, the entire place sounded like a bizarre, with everyone shouting to be heard above everyone else. She felt a headache coming from just looking at the scene.

_They really don't need me here._

"Why are you just standing there?" Zaid appeared behind her and gave her a jolt.

"Don't scare me like that." She glared at him. He was dressed comfortably in work clothes, meaning shirt and pants and boots that all looked as old as he was.

"Get to work. You're not here to just stand around."

"Gee, I would love to work, if someone told me what to do," she mumbled.

"Get a shovel and go to where Marik is. He'll tell you what to do," Zaid said and pointed to her right. Marik was working with a bunch of other men, digging at what seemed to be a statue of some sort.

She headed to the building where the equipments were stored and took out a small shovel that she could use and then crossed to where Marik was working.

"Hey, Zaid assigned me with you."

"Really?" Marik looked up and wiped his face, which was streaked with dirt. "That's great. We're digging up this statue of—"

"Anubis," she finished for him, surprising both him and herself.

Marik grinned. "Seems like you know something after all."

"Of course. I'm not stupid. Don't tell me you agree with Zaid."

"No, I wouldn't dare." But he still had that grin on his face.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Anyway, you're right. It's a statue of Anubis, the God of Embalming. We think this temple might be one they used to honor the dead. Over there," she looked to where Marik pointed, where Zaid was working with other men. "They're digging up a statue as well. It's the statue of Osiris, the God of the Dead."

"How interesting," she said sarcastically. _A temple to honor the dead. Just great._

"Let's get started then."

She stretched and picked up her shovel. However, when she moved closer to the statue, the air shimmered around her and her vision clouded. Yet, nothing happened and it was over when she blinked again. She shook her head. _It must be the heat getting to me._

Delia started digging along with the rest of the men after Marik introduced her. Most of the men just grunted without saying anything. She was careful to keep her distance from the statue as she dug while listening to Marik's lecture about the project as they worked side by side.

"Marik, we found another one!"

Marik looked up at Zaid's shout. However, neither of them realized how close they were until his head rammed into hers.

"Ouch!" They yelled in unison.

Delia took a step back and tripped over her own shovel. "Damn it!" she cursed as her hand automatically went up to find something to steady herself, and that something turned out to be the head of the Anubis statue.

Instantly, a strong gust of wind came out of nowhere and sent the sand flying. Everyone covered their eyes in reflex. For a moment, Delia couldn't hear anything but the wind howling in her ears. Her heart hammered against her chest in fear. _Is this a sandstorm? All of the sudden? _

Then, the sand beneath them gave way. As she fell downward, without thinking, she opened her mouth to scream. Yet, before she could get a sound out, she chocked on the sand that filled her mouth. _Yuck!_

As quickly as it came, the wind stopped and all was suddenly quiet again. Delia found herself buried in loose sand and she hastily dug her way out of it. Around her, all the others were doing the same. She had a very scary image of zombies climbing out of the graves as the men around her popped up one by one.

"Delia, are you OK?" Marik asked while shaking and patting away the sand covering him.

"Yeah, I'm alive," she grumbled while doing the same thing, but her mouth still tasted like sand. She didn't even want to think where she would find sand later when she showered. "Was that a—"

She never finished her question as the awestruck look on everyone's face registered. Curious, she turned around and froze as she saw the temple standing majestically before her, the temple that was focus of the dig.

Except it was no longer buried in sand.

_What? How?

* * *

**A/N:**_** Hehehe, we're getting to my favorite parts!!!! Honestly, I don't know where this story is going. I've just had scenes in my head playing out by themselves, so we'll see which one sticks out the most. **

**Thanks for the reviews! Oh, I know this chapter is kinda short, but the next one won't take as long. I've got half of it finished (since I like the next few scenes hehehe).**

**Please REVIEW!!!**

**Till Next time!  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I realize it's almost a month since my last update, even though I've had this finished for a while. I've just been really busy with finals and moving out things, trying to figure out where to store my things for the summer, among other things, but here is the next chapter. As a bonus, this one is a bit longer than usual! However, things might slow down a little more because the rest of the story is all going to be new material. The things up to now have all been written a few years ago, so it was kind of easy just to edit it.**

**As always, thanks for the reviews! Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter Fifteen**

"What is _that?_" Amazed, Delia pointed to the temple rather stupidly. Of course she knew what is it was. Yet, how could it be? She barely touched the freaking statue. _No, it has nothing to do with that._

"What did you do, Delia?" Marik asked with awe.

"I didn't do anything!" she retorted. Looking upward, she realized that they had fallen quite a way down when the wind blew. Strangely, they were in a rectangular space, as if someone had carved the space meticulously.

As for the temple, it was at least as tall as a four-story building. It was shaped like a pyramid, but without the tip at the top, instead it had a flat top. The structure itself looked to be in good shape with nothing missing from the outside. On one side, where she stood, two Anubis statues guarded the door, which seemed to be made from iron with hieroglyphics carved on it. On the other side, where Zaid was, she imagined there must be two Osiris statues, though she couldn't fathom why they'd need two gates.

"Hey, are you guys all right down there?" someone shouted from the top, where people were gathering.

"Yeah! Everybody's fine!" Zaid yelled back as he crossed over to her.

"Any idea why it just appeared like this?" He stopped beside her and asked Marik without giving her a glance.

"Not really. Do you want to go inside now or get back up?"

Zaid thought about it for a moment. "I'm going to ask them to bring some equipment down, then we'll take a look inside, _if _we can get past that door." He slanted a look to the iron gates.

Delia understood what he meant. The two gates didn't look so easy to open, unless they want to break them down, which she didn't think Zaid planned to do. Besides, wouldn't there be traps? There were always traps at places like this.

Zaid jogged away to get the equipments. Marik was directing some other men, so just like that, everyone went back to work as if nothing had happened. With nothing to do, she wandered around the temple. Carefully, she touched the stone. It felt rough against her palm and already hot from the relentless sun. Yet, as soon as the feeling registered, it changed. The stone suddenly felt as smooth as if it was new, as if it had not suffered from thousands of years of erosion.

Zaid returned in a few minutes with three flashlights and some other stuff that he handed to Marik and another guy named Zack.

"Let's go."

Delia followed them, knowing that Zaid probably didn't want her to go with them, but who cared? She was curious about the temple. For some reason, she felt like she had seen it somewhere before. _Probably in a book I read._

"Look at this." Zack slowly traced the carvings on the gate. Marik and Zaid helped him to clear away whatever sand was left on the carvings with brushes. "I don't believe it!" Zack suddenly sounded as excited as a young kid being given candy. "It's a resurrection ritual."

"Resurrection ritual?" Delia asked. The name rang a bell.

"What are you doing here? You're not coming with us," Zaid growled.

Delia ignored him and asked Zack to explain, which he did. "Ancient Egyptians respected the dead, but like any human, some cannot stand the parting. In the records, it was said that the powerful priests attempted to resurrect the dead, but the records never mentioned if they succeeded or not."

"How fascinating."

She walked forward to get a better look at the carvings. However, they disappeared right before her eyes, as if sinking back into the stone. Her eyes widened in shock just as Zack exclaimed, "Damn! I can't believe the magic is still there."

Something was tugging her toward the door. It was like a compulsion from somewhere deep inside of her, telling her to go in, but why? Without knowing it, she took another step forward and reached out to touch the door. Before anyone could stop her, her hand touched the door.

The light was absolutely blinding. She stumbled back while covering her eyes. The carvings reappeared slowly on the door. Then, as the light slowly disappeared, she heard a loud creak. When she looked again, the double doors opened slowly.

"What did you do?" Zaid muttered behind her, but more with wonder than anger.

"Don't touch anything," Delia warned, but it wasn't really her. No, it was someone else, someone who knew this temple, knew the traps and dangers it presented. As she entered, the torches on the walls lit by themselves and illuminated the hallway that seemed to stretch on forever before her. To the others, they saw a temple that had been buried beneath the sand for 3000 years, but to Delia, she saw the temple in all of its glory, when it was still in use all those millennia ago.

Delia walked straight forward, oblivious of the other doors around her. She headed toward the farthest room ahead of them. Zaid, Zack, and Marik all heeded her warning and did not touch anything. Instead, they followed her while observing everything they saw and filing it away in their mind.

As they moved deeper into the temple, Delia felt her chest getting heavier and heavier. She had feelings and thoughts that weren't hers. She felt sad and heartbroken and was about to cry at any moment.

_ Yet, she held back her own feelings and headed toward where the body was. She had to do this, or he'd find her and stop her. The urgency she felt propelled her forward and suppressed the other feelings flooding through her._

_ It was against the law to revive the dead, but if he did not love her, it was the only thing she could do to make him happy. She knew she could do it. After all, her nickname in the Shadow Realm was Resurrection. The cost might be her soul, but she could and would do it, for him. _

Delia was awed at the thoughts that passed through her mind while being both curious and scared of what was happening. She had a feeling that what she was experiencing must have occurred in the temple way back in the past, but whose thoughts were those? Why was this happening to her while nothing seemed to affect the others?

They finally reached the last door. Like before, Delia placed her hand on it, but this time she muttered something like a spell and the door swung open.

The others exchanged worried and amazed looks, but said nothing and followed her into the room. The torches lit up like they did in the hallway. The men saw a bed made of stone in the middle of the room. Against the wall was a statue of Osiris and Ra, the Sun God. The rest of the room was empty. On the walls were carved hieroglyphics and other pictures depicting Ra, Osiris, and Anubis. Everything was covered in dust.

"Man, I can't wait until we start working on this place," Zaid said in anticipation.

"I wonder…" Marik mused, his gaze focused on Delia, who stood right in front of the bed.

_A girl lay on the stone bed. She had blue hair and extremely pale skin, so unlike the people of Egypt. Lying on the table in a blue dress, her body was preserved by the magic inherent in this temple._

_ She raised her hands high in offering. Deep inside, the magical chant came to her. Taking a deep breath, she began the words that would bring everything to an end. _

_ "In this place of magic, where I regained my life and soul, I offer them once again for the return of this girl's soul into the world of the mortals." The girl's body floated up from the stone tablet and glowed an eerie blue. With more power in her voice now, she continued, "Take whatever she shall need from me and transfer it to her. I make this exchange freely, with no regrets, so hear me, Osiris, God of the Dead! Release the soul of this girl from your grip, and take mine in her place! Return her to the mortal world!"_

_A blinding white light filled the room as the exchange was made. She screamed as she felt something being ripped out of her. The pain was unbearable, like she was physically being torn apart. Yet, it passed as sudden as it came. When the light disappeared, she was still in the room. Nothing felt different, except Kisara was still floating above the bed. _

_ Did it not work? Did I fail? she thought as she gazed at the girl. Then, she felt his present. Looking up, Seto stood before her._

What is he doing here? The shocked washed through her as Delia regained control of her thoughts and feelings.

* * *

_What's going on?_ Seto thought as he walked the empty hallway lit by torches. He'd been here before, but when? _Certainly not this lifetime. Um…What am I thinking? There are no such things as past lives. If I believe that, I'd be as loony as Yugi._

The hallway was dark despite the light provided by the torches. _What's this? _He saw that he was holding the Millennium Rod. _What's this doing here? _He wanted to leave it somewhere, but somehow, it felt right carrying it around with him, as if he'd always had it for as long as he could remember.

Soon, before him, a door loomed up. He walked up and opened it as if he had been there hundreds of times before. Once he was inside, he saw a girl dressed in a white robe with curly brown hair down to her knees standing in front of him with her back facing him. In front of her was another girl in a blue dress with blue hair who floated in the air while an eerie blue light glowed from her.

_Kisara! _Suddenly, he was no longer Seto Kaiba, but someone else who was driven on by desperation.

_"Stop!" he shouted, but he was too late._

_ The brown-haired girl collapsed on the ground after a blinding white light flooded the room. Her dress pooled on the floor around her. Yet, when he looked at her this time, he could see through her. _

_ What's happening? I've never seen her as transparent before, he thought, somewhat stunned._

_ Then she turned around and her eyes widened in shock. "Seto…" She struggled to get up, but collapsed back down. His heart broke from her helpless expression and gesture while at the same time an unreasonable anger took him in its hold._

_ "What did you do to Kisara, Layla?" _Seto was shocked by the question. Layla's eyes widened as well. He suddenly realized that whatever was happening, Delia was just as aware of it as he was.

_"I destroyed her, Seto. You'll never get her back!" Layla's eyes were cold and harsh. _Even as anger surged through him at her actions, he saw a deep desperation in her eyes, as if Delia was trying to say that she was lying.

_Outraged by her betrayal, he raised his Millennium Rod. The ancient words were familiar to him as he spoke, "From here on, I banish Resurrection from this realm into the shadows, where she shall wander by herself for three thousand years. None shall release her but the gods until her time has been fulfilled. In three thousand years, she shall return as a human and be judged again. I shall decide whether she is worthy of the living. Until then, be gone!"_

_ A beam of light shot out from the eye of the Rod and consumed her. When it disappeared, Layla was no longer there. Behind him, he heard rushed footsteps heading her way. He walked up to Kisara, who had slowly lowered back to the stone tablet again. _

_ "I'm sorry," he whispered, not only to Kisara, but to Layla as well. He had never meant to hurt either of them, but in the end, they were both dead because of him._

_ "Priest Seto!" He turned at the voice and saw Pharaoh Yami and his new Queen, Hara. _

_ "Where's Layla? What did you do to her?" Hara shouted._

_ "I banished her. I'm sorry, my queen, but she has sealed Kisara's soul. I could not allow her to go free."_

_ "What are you talking about?" Hara was literally in tears. "Layla wouldn't do that! She was going to resurrect her!"_

_ The shock was like a blow to the gut. "No! That's impossible!" Even as he spoke those words, he knew he was wrong and was proved so in the next moment. _

_ "Seto-sama?" _

_ He whirled around, only to see Kisara sitting up from the stone tablet, her hair falling around her like a blanket as she stared at them in confusion._

_ "What have you done?" The pharaoh asked gravely._

_ What have I done? he repeated the question to himself. No, no, no nono! Layla…_

_ "Layla!" he screamed her name to the heavens, wishing he could undo what he had done. But it was useless. _

_ She was gone. _

_ Delia! _Seto bolted straight in bed, suddenly wide-awake. "Delia…" His breath came in short gasps. It hurt. His heart hurt, as if something had been brutally torn out of him.

Something wet rolled down his face. It took him a moment to realize they were tears. Shocked, he only sat there absorbing everything before he wiped them away angrily.

Delia… He needed to see her.

* * *

"Delia! Delia!"

She groaned as the sound of her name penetrated the haze in her mind. She tried to move, but her limbs felt as heavy as lead. The voice became louder and more urgent. Where was she? Why was everything so dark?

However, as tired as she was, she sprang awake when cold water was splashed over her.

"What…?" she spluttered as her eyes popped open. Looking around, she realized she was no longer in the temple. Instead, Marik was looming over her with concern written all over his face, along with Zaid, who held an empty bucket in his hands. That was when she noticed that she was soaked.

"What did you do?" She'd have liked to stand up and face Zaid, but she was still feeling weak. Her strength was returning by the second, so she'd get up in a minute.

"You fainted in the temple. I thought a little water would get you up." Zaid smirked.

Her cheeks heated. "I do _not _faint! Ever! And I didn't need the water!" She pointed to her shirt, which was completely soaked and clung to her body.

"It got you up, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it did!" She clenched her fist and leaped up. Her vision blurred for just a second before it cleared. "And I've wanted to do this ever since I met you!" Quick as lighting, her punch was out, and was an inch away from Zaid's face when he caught it.

"You want to be careful where you throw the punches, princess!" he snarled, looking every bit like a barbarian.

"You two-" Marik began.

"Shut up!" Both of them directed their anger at him. Marik closed his mouth with an audible snap and retreated, leaving them alone.

"What is it with you? Is it just me, or females in general? I didn't even do anything!"

"Just shut up!"

She ignored him and continued, "How come you don't act like a jerk in front of Isis or any other females? Or, do you just have something against Japanese? Or is it—"

To her shock, Zaid forced her to shut up, by planting his mouth firmly against hers in a fervent kiss. Astonished and angry, she tried to push him away, but his hands held her wrists like shackles, holding her in place as he ravished her mouth.

For so long, no one had kissed her other than Seto. She thought she would be disgusted, but instead, pleasure slowly flooded her, much as it would when Seto kissed her, just not as strong.

"I told you to shut up," he said huskily, his forehead leaning against hers.

Delia opened her mouth to make some pithy comment, but shut it again with a snap when she caught the dangerous glint in Zaid's eyes.

Silence and tension hang in the air as Zaid stepped away from her, his eyes focused intently on her. For a moment, she was filled with sadness and loss, but it was gone in a second. She wondered why.

"You want to know what's wrong with me, Delia?" he asked her calmly, but she sensed the anger and other less well-defined emotions he was suppressing by a thread.

She gulped and could only manage to nod soundlessly.

"You get to me. From the first moment I saw you, I wanted you." She gulped again. His lips curved into a humorless smile. "It was like getting the wind knocked out of me. Here you are, my boss's daughter, and while I'm working, all I can think about is you. It's better if you just leave."

"Oh hell." She was still too stunned by all this information. "Does the point that I have a boyfriend helps?"

Zaid's lips curved, not in sarcasm, but a grin. "Sorry, princess. Now that you know, I'm getting you no matter what, unless…"

"Unless?" she prompted.

"Unless you pack your stuff and get out of here on the next plane available."

It was stubbornness more than courage that made her walk up to him. Standing face to face with him, she barely reached his shoulder. "You'd better get used to those feelings, because I'm staying until it's over, especially after whatever happened in that temple! And stop calling me _princess!_"

"Yes princess."

She gritted her teeth, and a sound close to a growl rumbled out of her throat. She desperately wanted to smash his face and wipe away that grin. This was worse than before. She could've dealt better with him if he stayed insulting, but now she didn't know what to do with him. Clearly he didn't care whether or not she had a boyfriend. He was just like Seto, who would've done the same thing if their positions were switched. She was right in calling them twins, personality wise.

"Quit calling me that!" she fumed.

"You're adorable when you're angry."

Somewhat stunned, she just gaped at him. "Do you have a split personality or something?"

"No, you just haven't seen the real me before."

"I think I like the old you better," she grumbled.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Don't you have work to do?" She changed the subject, hoping to end the conversation. She looked around for the first time and saw that they were beside the trailer in shadow. The workers weren't far away since she could still hear them, but not see them.

"Yeah," Zaid said with a sign and the playfulness was gone, though no harshness replaced it. So now he was just acting normal in front of her. "Do you know what happened back at the temple? It was like you were…" he hesitated, "…possessed or something."

"Maybe I was." She thought back to all that happened within the temple. _What was that? And Seto was there? Or was I just hallucinating? If not, what did it mean?_

"What did you feel?"

"I don't know. It's like… I was aware of what was happening, but just that I wasn't the one doing it." She furrowed her brows as she tried to recall everything. "It's like I _had_ to get to that room no matter what. It was so sad," she said, as the feelings returned to her.

"Sad?"

"Yes. Whatever—"

"Delia!" Marik's shout cut off the rest of the sentence, which gave her a jolt as she realized she was about to tell Zaid something so important. On a professional level, she knew she should, that he would help, but could she really tell him something so strange and bizarre? Wouldn't it just be better if she just pretended that nothing happened?

"Delia, here, it's for you." Marik handed her the cordless phone from the trailer.

"For me?" Who would call her? Nobody knew where she was… except for Seto. "Hello?"

"Hi, Delia." _It's really Seto._ She was both happy and confused to hear his voice. _Isn't it the middle of the night over there?_

"Hi, Seto. How did you find me?"

"You said you're going to the sight on Monday, so I used the operator to find the number."

"And?"

"And?" Seto repeated, sounding as puzzled as she did.

"Isn't it very late over there?"

"Yeah, but…" There was a long pause before Seto continued, "I found the things you asked about Anthony Atkins."

Hearing that, Delia glanced at Zaid and Marik. They were deeply involved in a discussion about the temple. She stepped away so that they wouldn't hear anything.

"Thanks, Seto. What did you find?"

"There wasn't much information on him, but it's true that he isn't Atkins' biological son." Her heart stopped for a beat and then picked up speed. "They adopted him from an orphanage in Romania. The orphanage closed down a few years ago." Here, Seto stopped again, as if weighing his words.

"Please, Seto, I have to know."

He sighed. It was sweet of him to consider her feelings, but this was too important to her. "Apparently one of the adopted children found his real parents and traced everything back to the orphanage."

The words hang in the air, but it was possible that Anthony Atkins could be her brother Tony.

"Thank you, Seto." The words sounded raspy even to her. She suddenly wouldn't mind fainting again.

"Delia, are you all right?"

"Yeah, don't worry. I'm fine."

"How can I not be worried?"For the first time, he showed his frustration.

Delia smiled wryly. "When did you become such a Mom, Seto? Besides, I'm great!" The overly cheerful tone had her wincing. "Did you stay up all night? " She suddenly had the urge to tell him what had happened to her, but held it back.

Seto would definitely think she was crazy.

If she knew nothing else about Seto Kaiba, she at least knew that he was not a big believer of the "paranormal", as she would call what had happened back in the temple. He wouldn't even believe it if he'd experienced it himself and would instead call it a trick played by the brain.

"Yeah, something like that. I couldn't sleep." He sounded tired even to her, which was a first. She wanted to be there for him, to take away his weariness. Her heart ached thinking he worked for the entire night.

"I miss you, Seto." _I want to be with you. _Yet, as she looked at Zaid, she knew she couldn't leave, because she needed to prove to everyone that she could do things on her own. Besides, she wanted to figure out what had really happened in the temple, even if she was hallucinating, she'd confirm that too.

"I know. I'll let you get back to work and call you later. Be careful out there."

"I will, _mom. _Won't you get some sleep? Don't work too hard."

"And you're calling me mom? But I'll try. Good-bye."

"Bye Seto."

Delia hung up with a sigh, wishing with all her heart that she could be with Seto right now.

"Was that your boyfriend?" She almost jumped at Zaid's voice.

"Yes."

"Must be some boyfriend, calling you in the middle of the day," Zaid drawled out. "Doesn't he have anything better to do?"

"Yes, of course he does! In fact, he has more work than you!" she gritted out defensively. _How dare he talk about Seto that way? He wasn't the one managing a huge corporation at the age of fourteen!_ "He happens to run a corporation."

"Figures, you wouldn't go for any other kind." He shrugged off her argument. "So what does he do? Owning a corporation doesn't mean working in it. I own 25% of Kontar Enterprises, you don't see me doing 25% of the work."

"Unlike you, Seto does work for the company, and it's not physical labor that makes a person stink at the end of the day!" she hissed pointedly and sniffed with disdain. She wasn't sure that it had the intended effect since she was basically talking about herself.

"Seto?" Zaid asked thoughtfully. "You mean Seto Kaiba's your boyfriend? That arrogant, pigheaded, stubborn as a mule pompous asshole?" He made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a snicker.

"Look who's talking." She glared at him, sarcasm dripping out with each word like acid.

Zaid didn't take offense. Instead, he just laughed outright. "Oh God, I really can't see you with him." Then he suddenly stopped laughing and winked at her with a grin filled with mischief. "Well, it makes my mission easier."

"Mission? What mission?"

However, as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Zaid lifted her from the ground easily and slung her over his shoulder.

Her breath whooshed out of her. When she regained it, she screamed with outrage, "What do you think you're doing? Put me down, you Neanderthal! If you think this'll get you in my good graces, you're sadly mistaken!"

Nothing did her any good. Instead, it only caught the attention of all the workers, who didn't do a thing to stop Zaid but only grinned and cheered him on. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were thinking.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm helping you so you don't have to waste any energy on walking. And stop beating on my back with your puny punches. You'll only hurt yourself." Delia growled because he was right. "I can assure you I'll get in your good graces in time, just not now," Zaid continued with the most reasonable voice she'd ever heard from a guy, other than Seto.

She hung on his shoulder and looked on eagerly as the distance between them and the car shortened with each new stride. She tried not to notice how built Zaid was, or how strong, or how he didn't really stink but smelled rather nice.

_Oh God, what am I thinking?_ Delia wanted to pull her hair out. This was not the time to think well of him, but she couldn't help it. What female wouldn't and she was definitely female.

_If only he'd kept his big mouth shut! _she thought grumpily. _Then I wouldn't hesitate to beat him up._

Zaid set her on the ground like some precious piece of porcelain and reached past her to open the passenger door.

"I can do this myself. Thank you very much."

She slapped his hand away, yanked the door open angrily, and cursed when the door banged against her foot.

Zaid disguised his laugh smartly by coughing into his hand and walked to the driver's side.

She glared daggers at him, got in, and buckled up. Fuming, she stared out of the window. _I will never say another word to him again if I can help it._

_

* * *

_"I miss you, Seto."

Hearing her say those words, his heart lurched. He gripped the phone harder, unaware that his knuckles were white. He had the urge to drag her back, so that she'd be safe where he could see her, especially after that strange dream.

"I know. I'll let you get back to work and call you later. Be careful out there." He had to stop himself from saying something more, something that was far too demanding and out of line, something that would make her angry.

"I will, _mom_. Won't you get some sleep? Don't work too hard."

"And you're calling me mom? But I'll try. Good-bye." The light-hearted banter didn't make him feel better when all he wanted was to see her and hold her.

"Bye Seto."

Seto sank back in his chair and rubbed a hand down his face. He hadn't planned to call her during the middle of the night, but as worried as he was after that dream, he couldn't help it. In that girl called Layla, he clearly saw Delia. No, he didn't just see her. _It was her._ He was convinced of that as much as he didn't believe in those nonsense. However, when it came to Delia, he worried about her even if it was just some dream that made absolutely no sense.

Feeling restless, he jumped up and paced. Forget about the dream. What if something else happens to her? Knowing Delia, she could get into tons of other accidents. He knew almost nothing about archeology, but if they were underground, she could get trapped if the place caves in. The more he thought about it, the edgier he became.

_Calm down! Think! Nothing will happen to her! She's perfectly safe. The dream means nothing!_

He leaned against the window, welcoming the coolness of the glass panes and looked out to the crashing waves that mirrored his own emotions. Why did he have such a bad feeling about this? Why was he so worried about her? He couldn't so attached to her or care so much as to think of her day and night, not to mention that a dream could get him so worked up.

_Oh, screw this!_

He picked up the phone and dialed Saki's number.

"Hello? Who is this?" A sleepy voice answered on the other side.

"Saki, this is Seto," he said in his normal brisk business tone.

"Oh, Mr. Kaiba." Saki's voice cleared immediately. Seto didn't often called Saki this late at night, but working for him, Saki knew to expect the unexpected.

"Saki, I need you to cancel all my plans after Thursday and for next week," he said after a brief pause on the date, going through his schedule in his mind.

"But-" Saki protested immediately, obviously as familiar with his schedule as he was.

"Postpone them!" he said with finality. "I'm leaving the country on Thursday and probably won't be back for a few days, so I need you to do this."

"Yes sir." Saki had worked long enough for him to know that arguing was pointless.

"Good. Thanks. Good-night."

"Good night, Mr. Kaiba."

With that done, he felt better enough to go back to bed. If he couldn't convince Delia to come back to him on the phone, then he'd just have to go in person. He was going to make her come back no matter what, even if he had to chain her down on the plane.

* * *

**A/N: Things are finally getting interesting... Honestly, I have no idea where this story is going, so just bear with me!**

**Please REVIEW!**

**Till next time!  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Where are we going?" Delia couldn't help but ask Zaid when he took a turn away from the hotel. _So much for never talking to him again._

"The library. I want to do some research about the temple."

She gaped at him. "You mean you started digging without knowing anything about the place? What if it was like a trap or something?"

"Of course I know about the temple," Zaid said, annoyed. "But I don't know enough, and Ishizu has all the books. She studies them like a freaking mother hen.

"What's wrong with that? If you love your work, then you should be reading too," Delia said, thinking of Seto.

"That's why I'm going to the library to get some more files and books. They won't help much, but it's gonna be a start." Zaid turned the wheel and parked the car in the lot efficiently.

She followed him out grumpily. If he was going to take her away from the job on her _first_ day, then he should've at least dropped her off at the hotel before coming here.

"Do you even know what the temple is called?" she asked as they headed to the library's entrance.

Zaid said something that she couldn't catch, meaning that it wasn't in English or any other language she spoke. She guessed that it was probably Arabic, since it was Egypt's official language.

"It literally means 'love spawns death' if translated into English, but it's actually just one of the many temples that ancient Egyptians built to honor the dead and Osiris," Zaid explained, holding open the library door for her. At least he had _some_ gentlemanly manners.

_This doesn't look like a library_, was her first thought as they entered the three-story building.

Delia wandered around as Zaid went straight toward the librarian. The place was huge. She wasn't big on books, but this place, it looked like that it contained all the books in the world. On one side was a shelf that occupied the entire wall, which was three stories. To her right were stairs to the second and third floor. It place smelled of old musty books as well. Seriously, this was a library? Even bookstores weren't this big.

"What are you looking at?"

"Why is it so big?" she muttered as she took another long look around her before facing Zaid. He was carrying several books and tons of folders with papers sticking out everywhere. He really didn't have the scholarly look, so it was kind of hilarious to see him holding all those things.

"Are you already done?" she asked.

"Yeah, I called a few days ago, so Vivian already had everything ready for me," Zaid grumbled as they headed out. Even though she was only inside for a short amount of time, she still felt kind of dizzy. It was just she'd never seen or expected any library to be that humongous.

They arrived back at the hotel about twenty minutes later. As Zaid started to gather the books and files from the car, she asked, "Why are you getting those? You don't live here."

He merely threw her an annoyed glance as he stepped back to let the valet take the car. "You didn't think I'd let you off the hook this easily, did you? We're going to read through this together. It'll go much faster."

One closer glance at the things he carried showed her nothing eligible. All she saw were scribbles. "You know, Zaid, I don't read Arabic," she said, pointing out what seemed was the obvious.

Zaid grunted as if he just realized it. Maybe it wasn't so obvious after all. "Well, I'm sure you can find something in English," he muttered gloomily.

"We could just skip all this and return to the site," she suggested, fluttering her lashes at him even though she knew she couldn't pull off the innocent look well at all. "I feel perfectly fine now."

"No."

Delia resisted the urge to stomp her feet. That would just be too childish. "Why? Don't you want to help at the site with whatever they found? You could be missing an important moment in archeological history!"

All she received was a droll look. "You think I want to babysit you when I could be on the site working? Ishizu made me take you."

"You listen to Ishizu?" Delia asked as she slid her card in and the door unlocked. She opened the door and almost closed it in Zaid's face but thought better of it. She was here to be independent and to learn, not to throw tantrums when things didn't go her way.

"I don't like listening to her, but it's no use arguing with that woman. She's as stubborn as a mule." Zaid kicked the door closed.

Delia grinned, feeling rather vindicated. She had no idea Ishizu was like that, but at least she was something who could help if Delia ever needed someone to deal with Zaid.

Dumping everything on the coffee table, Zaid sank into the sofa. He turned to the files and started to skim through them. Delia popped down on the other side, thinking of ways to get rid of him, or better, to get back to the site instead of reading. She definitely didn't come here to read.

As she was thinking, something came flying from Zaid's direction and hit her on the head. "There's something in English. You can read it."

"Why do I have to read it? I _hate_ reading," Delia grumbled. She didn't really hate reading, but that wasn't the point.

"Do you think I like to read?" Zaid shot her an ice cold glare. "If we finish reading this today, I can take you back to the site tomorrow. If we don't, then you'll have to stay here and read all by yourself tomorrow until you're done with all this."

"Why me?" she wailed, sounding like an actress from a bad soap opera. Zaid's lips quirked at the corners. Looking at him, she asked, this time serious, "Why do we have to do this? Can't Ishizu just tell us?"

"I doubt that she would know what happened to you in the temple earlier."

"We won't know by reading. We'll find out more if we just go back to the site."

Zaid threw up his hands, exasperated. "Just stop talking and read, OK? We don't know if what happened to you earlier could hurt you or not, so we can't risk letting you near that temple unless we know more."

"Ha! So that's the problem!" She pointed at him accusingly.

"Yes! If worrying about your safety is a crime, then sue me." Delia suddenly found herself speechless. He was worried? About her? "I'm sure that boyfriend of yours would do the same thing."

Flustered, Delia mumbled, "You don't know anything about Seto." She picked up the files Zaid laid out for her and said, "If I help by reading all this, promise me you'll let me go back to the site tomorrow. I'll die of boredom if you don't."

"I promise."

"Good."

Delia started skimming through the English files. Zaid continued to give her random papers as she flipped through them. Most of them were pretty useless stuff or things that she already knew about, such as that the temple was used to honor Anubis and Osiris. However, she found out that it was build around 1000 BC; high priests of Egypt used it to mummify people of high status.

On a script that was almost unreadable, Delia found that this temple was also where high priests unlocked monsters that were within people who had high spiritual power and locked them in stone tablets, where the monsters were used for fighting.

It also indicated that sometimes people who had these monsters taken from them either died or became crazy, but in rare cases they returned to normal after being sick for a short amount of time. Yet, the most amazing thing was that these monsters were real and very hard to control. They could destroy the world if not properly managed.

How bizarre, she thought as she read it. Even though a small voice in the back of her head warned her not to throw it away, she disregarded what she'd just read from the script and considered it as garbage written by people who had nothing better to do than to just make up stories.

"Did you find anything?" Zaid leaned over the coffee table and asked.

"Hold on. I'm almost done," she said absentmindedly and did her best to concentrate on reading instead of on the large male inches away and sighed when Zaid stood up and left the room.

When she finished, Zaid came back to the room with two glasses of water and handed her one. "Thanks," she said as she took it. "So did you find anything?"

"Yeah. I put everything useful in that stack." He pointed to the shorter stack of papers and books.

"So what does it say?"

Delia thought she should've done the same thing he did, but she had no idea which one was useful and which ones weren't since she didn't know what she was supposed to be looking for.

Zaid plopped down beside her and reached over to grab the book on top of the short stack. He didn't act like someone who'd just confessed to the girl he liked. Rather, from the focused expression on his face, it felt like nothing had ever happened. It was almost hard to believe that Zaid was such a stubborn person much like Seto.

"Mainly, it just said that temple was constructed in 1000 BC. It was very popular until the Pharaoh had it closed after some incident or experiment a high priest did," Zaid explained.

"Closed?" Her brows furrowed. "What happened?"

"Gee, be patient. I'm getting there," he complained. Delia glared at him and waited, though she'd rather whack him on the head. He was just so infuriating. "Anyway," he continued, "they have different versions of what happened. The most popular is that the high priest succeeded in resurrecting a person, but that person wasn't normal. She was evil and threatened to destroy the world, so all the priests had to work together to kill her. After that the temple was banned from use."

Delia rolled her eyes. Of course it was something like that. Didn't every story have something to do with an evil person trying to destroy the world and ultimately failing at it?

Seeing that she wasn't going to comment, Zaid went on, "Another version of the story is more bizarre. It's almost the same, but instead, it has records about duel monsters."

"Duel monsters?" Now she was hooked. She recalled the script about the monsters sealed in the stone tablets. _Perhaps it wasn't crap after all._

"Yeah. Back then, monsters were sealed in stone tablets, where priests summoned them to fight each other." _So it's true._ "We have proof that they really existed as real monsters, even though no one really believes us."

She could tell from his tone that he was waiting for her to make fun of him, to make light of it, but honestly, she wanted to know more.

"Go on," she urged him.

He shot her a surprised look which she responded by arching a brow at him. Smiling, Zaid said, "So, the other version said that a high priest fell in love with a Protector."

"Protector? What's that?"

"Protectors are special monsters that weren't sealed in the stone tablets. They are bodyguards of certain people who can afford them. Mostly, only the aristocracy has them, especially the royal family, but if a peasant has the spiritual power to summon and hold them, then they probably have one as well.

"These protectors can be seen as real people, but they're invisible to the normal eye, unless they're seen with people who have a considerable amount of spiritual power, like the priests. Even then, they are usually semi-transparent, only extremely powerful priests can see them in solid form. It is said that this Protector, whose name was Resurrection"—Delia's heart lurched. _Resurrection._ That was what Seto had called her in the temple.

Zaid didn't notice that she had pale visibly and continued, "Resurrection was the Protector of a princess from south of Egypt. Dalila, the princess from this kingdom, married Pharaoh Atem from the northern kingdom to seal an alliance against the southernmost kingdom during this time. As Dalila's protector, Resurrection went with her master.

"The records have it that Resurrection looked exactly like Dalila, because she is actually Dalila's twin sisters who died of disease. The king, their father, could not stand the sorrow of losing his younger daughter, so he went to the temple in Egypt secretly and tried to resurrect his daughter. But the daughter he'd resurrected wasn't human, but actually a monster that looked like his daughter. In the end, he sacrificed himself so he could bring back the soul of his daughter to put into the monster's body.

"Before he died, he named her Resurrection, because she will have the power to resurrect anything from death, except for a human, because the gods would not allow her to cheat the cycle that was as old as time. His father also tied her to his other daughter, Dalila, thus making Resurrection Dalila's Protector, so that when Dalila went to Egypt for her marriage, she will have someone to protect her."

"So when Resurrection met this high priest, they fell in love? What's this priest's name?" Delia asked, even thought she already knew who the priest was.

Something mysterious glinted in Zaid's eyes. "You'd be surprised, but the priest's name was Seto Kaiba."

Delia shrugged, not lest bothered by the fact. "What happened to them to make the temple disappear?"

This time, it was Zaid who shrugged. "It doesn't really say. Something about a girl that the priest used to love came between them, but the thing was, the girl was dead. Priest Seto preserved her body because he was the one who caused her death, but it seemed something happened between them and Resurrection tried to resurrect the girl and lost her soul in the process."

That sounded similar to what she'd deduced from the episode in the temple. "So what happened to the girl and Priest Seto afterwards?"

"I don't know. All it says is that the temple banned from us again by anyone after that incident, except for the priest, but after he died, it was basically abandoned."

Normally, after hearing this, Delia would never have considered it to be real, but after what had happened in the temple, she was certain that this story was real. She had been inside of Resurrection and saw the past where she had resurrected the girl that Seto used to love—Kisara.

"Does it ring any bells?"

Delia looked up at Zaid, startled. "No, not really," she lied, deciding not to tell him more than what she already did.

Zaid was quiet for a minute, as if he knew she was lying, but then he said, "Well, we're done with reading. Wanna go get something to eat?" He stood up and stretched.

"Eat?" She'd just had brunch before she'd left the site. However, when she looked out the window, she realized that the sun was almost below the horizon. "Did we read that long?"

"Apparently so," Zaid said with a sheepish grin and pulled her up. "Come on. It'll be our first date."

Delia studied him, then looked at herself, and burst out laughing. They were both covered in dirt. It would be some kind of first date to go in what they were dressed in. From the sheepish look on Zaid's face, he was probably thinking the same thing.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she said while trying to step to the side, but his arm wrapped around her waist before she could escape. Taking a step forward, he forced her to sit down again and planted one hand on either side of her face, effectively caging her. "Don't, Zaid. I'm warning you."

"And why should I listen?" He leaned closer, his nose almost touching hers. Delia's breath hitched as his large male presence crowded her.

"Because I'm going to hurt you if you don't."

Zaid grinned, his eyes dropping to her lips. "I just want a taste," he murmured and lowered his head toward hers.

Before she lost her wits, Delia threw up her hands and pushed him. Taken by surprise, Zaid fell to the left, but he took her with him. She struggled, but somehow when it was all over Delia found herself lying under him on the sofa, his thighs over her legs to stop her from moving, his hands holding both of her wrists prisoner.

"Kiss me," he whispered against her ear and nipped at her earlobe.

"Stop it," she ordered breathlessly and couldn't stop the involuntary shiver that the sensation sent through her system.

She should be scared. After all, she was completely helpless against him, but instead, she was curious, almost impatient for what was about to happen.

"You don't mean it. If you want me to stop, say it like you mean it." Zaid's lips moved around her jaw and tugged on her lower lip.

Unable, or unwilling, to escape it, Delia turned her head and met him head on. She felt his lips curve against hers in a smile and wanted to hit him, but soon found her thoughts scatter to the four winds as he angled his head and deepened the kiss.

Delia didn't know what happened, but she felt a sense of déjà vu. His scent, the feeling his hard body against hers, all felt so familiar. Their tongues dueled, and once again she felt like she wasn't in control of her body, just like…

Just like back in the temple.

Shocked, Delia tore her mouth again. The sound of ragged breathing filled her ears, hers and his. When she found the courage to look at Zaid, the intensity behind his look scared her, but it was gone in a second. A smile curved his lips, just not as easygoing as before, "So did you forget your boyfriend?"

For a second, her mind drew a blank, then when the meaning of those words registered in her mind, she began struggling, not that it was any use, but she didn't plan on stopping until he got off of her. "Let me go, you bastard!"

She couldn't believe it! She'd actually enjoyed his kiss!

"Let go of me!" Her scream died off as unexpected tears flooded out. How could she have enjoyed it? What kind of person was she? Oh God, how could she face Seto again?

Zaid, seeing her tears, relented, and barely dodged her knee aimed for his groin.

"Go! Get away from me!" Delia point to the door, trying to retain her calm and will away the tears. She couldn't believe she was crying in front of this jerk! Yet, the thought of losing Seto, of having him hate her, was unbearable.

She'd rather die.

Zaid didn't move, instead just sat there looking at her with an inscrutable expression, as if she'd just ruined his love life instead of the other way around. Then his lips thinned and anger flared in his eyes.

"You don't belong with him," he said tightly.

Shocked, Delia opened her mouth, but before she could ask what he meant by that, he'd already stalked out and slammed the door behind him.

Feeling defeated, Delia collapsed on the sofa. His last words till confused her. He'd spoken as if he knew that to be the truth, but how? And the kiss. Yet, she'd enjoyed it, but at the same time, it hadn't been her. The sense of déjà vu was clear in her mind.

Instead of thinking herself into a stupor, Delia's mind returned to Seto and her heart lurched. _Please please never let him find out about this_, she prayed to whatever deity there was. If she lost him after all this, she wouldn't know what to do. He was the only anchor holding her here, making her life bearable.

_Don't make me lose him, please._

_

* * *

_

After leaving Delia's penthouse, Zaid drove back to the site. Some people were still there, finishing up for the day. He didn't leave the car, but instead reclined in his seat and just looked at the empty lot in front of him. It hadn't always been empty, and no doubt soon his team will uncover the area, but now, nothing was there expect for the cars.

He recalled driving past here three years ago, when there was nothing but sand next to the road, and he'd stopped, pulled by some mysterious force. That night, he had remembered—the past, the endless reincarnations, the loneliness, the uncertainty of not knowing if this was the one. If he had to wait for another lifetime for his second chance.

Then he had met her at the airport. Delia Yasune. And he had known that this was it.

His second chance. Hers. Kaiba's. And Kisara's.

Sighing, Zaid closed his eyes. In his mind, he saw the area as it was 3000 years ago. Tall, ionic columns rose, framing a courtyard with a small fountain in the middle. He could still remember that day clearly, when he'd last seen her. Sitting at the edge of the fountain, her hair flowing in the wind, he remembered how his heart had wrenched just seeing her again.

"You said too much." The images disappeared at the sound of those words, spoken in that familiar soft and gentle voice.

His eyes opened and he turned to face the blue-haired girl that appeared in his passenger seat. "What are you doing here?"

She gave him a sad smile. "The same thing you are." Taking her eyes off of him, she stared into the distance at the temple. "We should not interfere."

Zaid snorted. "And what are you doing here if not interfering?"

"He's coming," was all she said, her expression one of longing.

"And you're going to see him," Zaid said calmly. He didn't need to ask who "he" was, for there was only one person the woman beside him waited for, just like he had waited. When she said nothing, he rolled his eyes, "So much for not interfering."

"We both have things we want, prince."

"That we do, and we'll both do anything to have them." Zaid let his expression harden. "But if you hurt her, I won't let you go so easily this time."

She studied him before saying softly, "You mistake me. I do not want him, nor do I wish to harm Layla. I just want him to be happy. That's all I'm here for, to make up for what happened 3000 years ago."

Stunned, Zaid was speechless. All these years and he had been mistaken.

"Think about what you want, prince. This time we should help them find what they lost."

At those words, Zaid's jaw clenched. "She's not his," he warned her darkly.

All she did was throw him a fleeting smile and said, "We'll see," before disappearing, leaving Zaid to his own thoughts.

* * *

**A/N: So it shouldn't take me this long to update, since I've really got nothing better to do right now, but I just couldn't find the inspiration to write, therefore the 3 weeks in between. Anyway, the Zaid part was completely out of thin air. I wanted someone else to compete for Delia's affections, but didn't want it to be just a normal thing, so I decided hmm, why not let Zaid be part of their past too? Makes it so much more interesting, isn't? **

**As always, please REVIEW and till next time!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: So it's been a bit more than 3 months since I last updated. Before you murder you, I just want to say I have an excuse for about 2 months of those. First, I was in Europe, (England specifically) for like 7 weeks for a study abroad program, so I couldn't really write. Instead of staying in my room writing, I was usually out of my room chilling. I mean, how often am I going to be in Europe w/ a bunch of friends right? After that I came back to school and what's w/ moving in and stuff it's hard getting things done. I swear, it's only the 2nd week of school, and like I have exams next week. What's up with that? Well, I am back, mostly, but as I am applying for internships this and next month, I can't promise the next chapter in 2 weeks, but definitely less than 3 months. Like I said at the beginning of this story, I do plan on finishing it. **

**So enough of my rambling. On to the story!**

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**Chapter Seventeen**

The next morning, Zaid picked up Delia and they went to the site together. Neither of them spoke about what happened yesterday. Frankly, Delia was determined to ignore him. She was still mad at him, but a larger part of her worried more about what Seto would do if he ever found out, which he wouldn't if she could help it.

There was a meeting at the trailer once they arrived. Marik and Ishizu were already there, along with Zack and another archeologist on their team named Damien.

"Are we going in the temple today?" Delia asked to no one in particular a few minutes later after listening to their discussions.

"Yes, but we're taking more precautions since we don't know the exact architecture of the place." Ishizu raked an angry gaze over Marik and Zack and Zaid.

"But we do know some of it." Zack, in protest, pointed to an ancient scroll spread out on the table.

Standing in a circle, they all scrutinized the scroll for a few minutes before Ishizu spoke, "It looks like a map of sorts. Maybe the left side of the temple."

"It doesn't look like anything to me," Delia mumbled. The writings on the scroll were so faded that she could barely connect the lines of the map together, if it even was a map.

"You wouldn't know how to read a map if your life depended on it," Zaid grumbled as he leaned down to take a closer look at the map.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Delia glared at him. Even though he'd confessed to her and even kissed her, he was still the same arrogant man at work. Doubtlessly he was one of those who had no problems separating his professional and personal lives.

Zaid ignored her and said, "It doesn't really look like the left side?"

"And I suppose you know what the left side looks like?" Delia bit out sarcastically.

Zaid shot her a scathing look that could melt steel. "You don't know anything, so keep out of it."

Before Delia could get back at him, someone knocked. A young guy who was an intern from a college nearby stepped inside. "Sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Atkins is here with his sister."

_Sister?_ Delia somehow knew it was Anthony, but he has a sister? _From where?_ She'd thought the Atkins couldn't have children, which was why they'd adopted Tony as their son.

The only reaction Delia noticed was Zaid's grimace before another girl rushed inside. She looked maybe a year or two younger, with dark auburn hair that was cut short into a bob and framed her angelic face. Her eyes, a chocolate brown, looked way too big for her face. Delia doubted anyone could refuse this girl anything once she turned those doe eyes on that person.

Currently those eyes were focused on Zaid with their full force.

Out of the corner of her eye, Delia caught Zaid flinch and couldn't help but be amused.

"Zaid!" The girl literally screamed his name in the small confines of the trailer and jumped him. Zaid's eyes were literally full of panic as he was forced back a few steps with the girl's legs wrapped around his waist and her arms clinging to his shoulders even as she gave him a smacking kiss.

_Looks like someone has an unrequited love._

Delia almost felt sorry for the girl. Anyone who liked Zaid must be pretty dumb, to her thinking. There was nothing attractive about Zaid, except maybe for his good looks that could melt a woman at thirty feet. But once that woman got to know the person behind those looks, she couldn't run fast to get away from the jerk.

"Brie! Get off him this second!" Anthony stepped inside and scolded his younger sister. His presence filled the room even though he only stood at the door. Delia hadn't realized that he was so tall or so intimidating since he had been so easy-going at the party days before.

Brie reluctantly jumped off Zaid and retreated to her brother's side with a pout. This time, she had the good graces to scan around the room. When her eyes landed on Delia, they shot wide open. "Whoa! Tony! She looks exactly like you!"

_Thanks for pointing out the obvious._

Delia restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Now she had no doubt that the girl must be missing part of her brains, otherwise why would she be all over Zaid and then make that comment?

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Tony said and frowned at his sister. "I just had some free time today, so I thought I might drop by and see how the project is progressing."

"We were doing just fine until you came along." Zaid's irritation clearly meant that he couldn't wait for them to leave.

Or more importantly, for Brie to leave.

Delia, on the other hand, was just beginning to enjoy herself. So she plastered on a welcoming smile and placed herself between Brie and Zaid. "You must excuse him. He's had a hard day."

She could feel Zaid's glower burning holes into her back, and it took every ounce of her control not to laugh.

"Who are you?" Brie asked bluntly, her large eyes suspicious.

"Oh, I'm—"

Before Delia could get the words out, Zaid's arm snaked around her waist and pulled her back against him.

"Let me introduce you. Brie, this is my girlfriend, Delia."

"What?" Delia and Brie shouted the words in unison.

Everyone else in the room looked equally as shocked, if not as vocal about it. The only exception was Marik, whose amused expression made Delia want to punch him.

Well, after she beat Zaid into a bloody pulp.

How dare he!

"Just play along," Zaid whispered. After a short pause, he added, "please?"

If he hadn't said please, she wouldn't even consider helping but. Yet, it was apparent that the man wanted nothing to do with Brie despite how much the girl liked him. The misery in his voice was unmistakable, and Delia felt herself giving in to his request.

"When did you get a girlfriend?" Brie looked like she'd grab the nearest hovel and smack Delia over the head with it. Luckily, the nearest item that even resembled a murder weapon was near the door, and Brie would have to go through her brother to get it. Delia prayed to God that Anthony wouldn't share his sister's feelings. Luckily, she only saw concern in Anthony's eyes, not murderous rage.

"How could you?" Brie continued, this time tears appeared in her eyes even as her voice became louder. "You know how I feel about you!" With that, the girl stormed out of the room with all the histrionics worthy of a drama queen.

"Sorry about that," Tony apologized, looking bashful. He didn't chase after his sister, not because he didn't worry about her, but because he understood Brie. Delia understood equally as well, considering she was just like Brie. When things didn't go her way, she tended to throw a raging fit and would only wish to be alone afterwards. Nothing would help other than just let the rage pass.

It kind of unsettled her that she and Brie shared such a similarity.

"Don't worry about it," Delia said. "Instead, we'd like to ask your opinion for something."

"Yes?"

Delia pointed to the map on the table and explained the details to Anthony. "So what do you think? Which part of the temple would this be?"

"Can I go check out the temple? I didn't take a close look on the way here, considering Brie was rushing me to get inside," Tony said after taking a quick look at the map, as if committing it to memory.

"Why not?" Zaid shrugged and they all filed out of the trailer.

As they drew close to the temple, amazement lit Tony's face. "Oh my God! It's almost perfectly preserved!" He walked next to the temple and smoothed his hand over the stone, a look of rapture on his handsome face.

Delia decided then that perhaps archeology would be a good profession for him.

"We think it's magic," Zack said, the same look of amazement on his face.

"Magic?"

"Yes. This temple is too well preserved for it to be natural. Not one stone on the outside has corroded as it should be, considering it's a 3000 year old temple, so it must have been preserved in some way, waiting to be find," Marik explained.

Tony looked at him skeptically. "That's a fancy theory, but archeology is based on facts. Unless you can prove it, then don't talk to me of magic."

His condescending tone got on Delia's nerves. "You can't prove magic exists unless you believe it. It's because of ignorance like yours that magic no longer exists in this world."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Delia regretted them. But it wasn't her who had spoken them, but rather another.

_Layla._

It only took Anthony a second to recover his cool. "Nice speech, but no matter what you say, archeology is science, and science doesn't involve magic."

They glared at each other before Delia growled, "You want me to show you?"

He smirked. "If you can."

"Challenge accepted."

Delia waltzed up to the temple doors, which were clear without any carvings. Determinedly, she placed her hands on it. Much like it did yesterday, the gates flashed with golden lights as the carvings appeared. When the light disappeared, the carvings remained even as the gates swung open.

Everyone's jaws dropped, even those who had witnessed her performance yesterday. Delia somehow felt the same, as there were no more feelings of being possessed. Yet, just from that short glimpsed of Layla earlier, she understood that Layla was someone who strongly believed in the power of magic. She had to, for she was revived from the dead by her father.

"How did you do that?" Tony asked with awe as he examined the carvings, which were already fading as the seconds ticked by.

"I told you. It's magic."

Delia held his gaze until she saw just a tiny bit of acceptance in his eyes. It was good enough. Then she quickly looked away, since it was still disconcerting to look at his eyes for it felt like she was looking into herself.

"Let's go in," she said seconds later with a smile and walked past Anthony into the temple. After a few short sentences of protests by Ishizu and Zaid, which she ignored, the others followed her reluctantly.

This time, nothing possessed her, for she felt completely like herself. Yet, all the same, the temple was familiar. She knew where every door led to and where every trap was. At first, no one trusted her, but after she activated the third trap on purpose, they no longer doubted it.

Throughout the temple, almost in every room were carvings or recordings of ancient and powerful Egyptian sorcerers summoning monsters from stone tablets to fight one another. Other rooms had carvings of monsters being drawn out of people with "ka" that originally possessed them. These monsters were sealed in stone tablets where they could be summoned.

Little by little, as Delia studied these walls, she realized that what Zaid told her was true, as well as Marik and Ishizu. Duel monster had indeed existed in ancient Egypt, except in a much gruesome and realistic way, for the monsters could not only harm structures around them but humans as well, including their summoners.

After Delia worked an entire day with the team so that they wouldn't trigger any traps accidently and hurt themselves, they could only uncover a few rooms in the temple. The structure was bigger than any of them had first thought. Other than what they could see from outside, there were stairs leading down to underground chambers full of traps as well.

When Delia asked if this many traps was normal for an Egyptian temple, Zack explained to her that this temple had more than usual because most of these traps were used to enhance fear in the people who had "ka" and thus encourage these same people to release their power so the priests could capture the monsters in the stone tablets.

Early in the evening, Delia was resting in the trailer waiting for the last of the work to be done so she could return to her hotel, when Brie came to the room. The girl hadn't gone into the temple with everyone else but instead stayed outside because she claimed that the temple was dirty ant not fit for a well-raised lady.

Delia thought that was kind of ironic, since Brie was anything but a lady, considering a lady would never throw herself at a man like Brie did with Zaid.

When Brie saw Delia sitting there, the girl stared at her warily. Delia smiled at her before going to the fridge to get something to drink.

"Do you want something to drink?" Delia asked and handed Brie a bottle when the girl nodded.

"Are you really Zaid's girlfriend?" Brie asked her, eyeing her suspiciously. Apparently, she didn't completely believe the act. The girl wasn't as dumb as Delia'd thought.

"What do you mean? Of course I'm his girlfriend." The last word tasted sour on her tongue. All the while Delia prayed karma wouldn't bite her in the ass for this.

"Don't think you can fool me!" The vehemence behind those words took Delia by surprise. "I watched you two today! You didn't act like a couple at all! You didn't do anything a couple does, like holding hands, sharing secret smiles, or looking at each other starry-eyed."

Delia rolled her eyes. The girl was a hopeless romantic, not that there was anything wrong with it. "Give me a break! We've just started dating. It's not like we're in love or anything. Besides, I can barely—" _Oops!_ Delia caught herself before she let the truth slip.

"You can barely what?"

"Oh, nothing." Delia laughed nervously. _Gotta keep my mouth shut. Can't let her know that I can barely stand that arrogant asshole. _

Thankfully, the door opened just then and Zaid walked in. Upon seeing Brie, he halted as if deciding whether to come in or not. Since Brie had turned around to face him, Delia mouthed to him, "Don't you dare!"

Sighing, Zaid greeted Brie, crossed to Delia, and gave her a soft peck on the cheek. "Hi, sweetheart, you ready?"

Delia gaped at him for a second before recovering her wits. Never had she expected such a simple and sweet gesture from Zaid. Seto had never been so free with his affection, especially not when there was someone else in the room.

"Sweetheart?"

"Oh sorry." She really should stop comparing Zaid with Seto. It was as if she might be considering Zaid as something other than an annoying and arrogant jerk, which she wasn't. Besides, Seto's aloofness and her ability to crack his mask was what attracted her to him in the first place. "You were saying?"

"Are you ready to go?" Zaid repeated without the usual sarcasm. Instead, he sounded exactly like how a concerned boyfriend should sound like.

No wonder Brie was in love with him.

Who was this guy?

"Yeah."

Delia barely took notice when Zaid took her hand in his. It felt natural and sweet. She frowned. No, it was not natural and sweet.

It was weird and gross.

"What are you thinking?" Zaid asked as they drove through the city to her hotel.

"Just how gross it was to have you touch me," Delia said, sounding as acerbic as usual.

Her only answer was a grunt from Zaid. Good, better not give that guy any ideas. No matter what he did, it was all an act, Delia told herself. He wasn't sweet or considerate. Nothing of the sort. Not at all.

Delia missed Seto. If he was here, she wouldn't have all these conflicting feelings. As Zaid dropped her off at the hotel, she had a dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn't shake off.

It was the first time she regretted leaving Seto and coming to Egypt.

* * *

After a long plane ride across the Atlantic from one continent to another, Seto finally found himself in Egypt. He was more tired than a simple plane ride warranted, but that may be due to the fact he couldn't stop thinking about Delia these past few days. The dreams came more often now than ever. Now, when all he wanted was to go to the hotel and sleep off the weariness, he instead decided to go find Delia.

He had a feeling that he'd sleep easier if she were with him.

The car he'd rented ahead of time was already waiting outside. Seto told the chauffeur the address and then they were off. Even as part of his mind was preoccupied with Delia, another part was on business. His company didn't have any branch in Africa, but maybe he'd find some opportunities here and start one.

After an hour or so, the car slowed to a stop. When Seto looked outside, all he saw was sand everywhere. Yet, he saw the workers soon enough and the cars parked next to his and the trailer not far away.

Seto got out before the chauffeur could open the door for him. He found himself doing more of that lately, ever since he'd met Delia. With her, the rules and manners of high society seemed silly most of the time. He recalled once when he reprimanded Delia for not waiting for the chauffeur to open the door, and her reply was, "Why should I wait for someone else to open the door for me when I can do it myself? There'll be a time for that when I'm old and crippled, but not now."

The memory brought a smile to his lips, and he couldn't wait to see her.

With a quick glance around the area, he saw that it was still bustling with activity, even though it was already five-something in the afternoon. As he didn't know where to find Delia, he stopped one of the workers and asked, "Excuse me. Do you know where I can find Delia Yasune?"

The man, who was in his late-thirties, looked at Seto with surprise. Clearly he didn't expect someone in a business suit to show up at an archeology site. "Miss Yasune's in the trailer resting," he answered in a gruff voice after a second's pause.

"Thank you."

Seto headed to the trailer with quick strides. The sun was really bothering him. Maybe coming out here in a suit wasn't his best idea. But he really couldn't wait to see her. Just the thought of seeing her made all this worthwhile.

Nobody stopped him on his way to the trailer. Most people didn't even notice him. If they did, they only paused to gawk at him in his clothes before moving on to their job.

Seto leaped up the few steps and swung open the door.

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight that greeted him.

Nothing.

So it was no surprise that he froze on the spot and his mind went perfectly blank.

* * *

The work was becoming more and more interesting as days passed. All kinds of carved stone tablets were being taken out of the temple and examined. Translators worked on the manuscripts that they'd found inside the temple. Despite the episode with Layla, it hadn't happened again, and Delia was just enjoying herself helping to do whatever she could.

However, despite everything, there was a slight problem…

Brie.

Ever since the first time, the girl returned every day to the site even without Tony. Delia began to think that the girl really had nothing else to do. Such was the life of the rich.

Why else would Brie have all these free time to spend at the site doing nothing but stalking Delia and Zaid? In any other circumstances, Delia could have ignored someone like that, but not when everywhere she turned the girl was always there, watching.

It already freaked her out to have a stalker, but because of Brie, Delia also had to spend more time around Zaid dealing with Zaid's boyfriend acts.

When one day she actually found herself enjoying Zaid's company, Delia knew that something had to be done.

"Delia, we're done for the day! Let's go!" Zaid called to her from across the room. They were alone in this small room on the north side of the temple. Everyone else had already left, taking with them the last of the things from the room.

"This early?"

"Yeah. It's Friday, after all. I thought everyone deserves a break since we've all worked so hard this week," he explain while they headed outside.

Once under the sun, they headed to the trailer, where they usually rested for a while before heading back.

"That's nice," she said sincerely.

In the past week, she'd learned that Zaid was a hard worker, and he expected the rest of team to do the same. Yet he didn't push anyone too far to the point of exhaustion and was attentive to his colleagues' needs and feelings. Because of this, the others respected and liked him. It seemed that she was the only one who thought he was a jerk.

Now she knew better, but the knowledge disconcerted her somewhat. If she didn't even have a reason to hate him, what's to stop her from actually liking him in Seto's absence?

As if this wasn't already bad enough, having to deal with her traitorous feelings, Brie was waiting for them in the trailer.

"So do you two have any plans this weekend?" the girl asked pointedly.

"Not really," Delia replied without thinking. If it wasn't already bad enough she had to spend time near Zaid every day, she wasn't about to spend her weekend with him too.

"Oh too bad!" Brie didn't sound sorry at all. In fact, she looked absolutely delighted. "Zaid, my parents are wondering if you'd join us for dinner tomorrow night."

"Sorry, but my parents are coming tomorrow, so we're having a family dinner too," Zaid refused smoothly. Delia wondered if it was true since he hadn't mentioned it to her.

But then again, why should he tell her? It wasn't like they were really dating or anything.

Brie just nodded, but Delia could almost see the wheels in the girl's head turning through the gleam in her eyes. Delia did her best to ignore her and went to the fridge where she grabbed two bottles of water and handed one to Zaid.

"You know, I just realized something," Brie said slowly, "I never actually saw the two of you kiss."

Delia choked on her water.

"W…What?" she sputtered?

"Don't act dumb with me. I've been here for four days, and I have never seen the two of you kiss once. What kind of couple are you?"

_What kind of stalker are you?_

Delia barely restrained herself from shouting the words. If she wasn't Tony's stepsister, Delia would've strangled her a long time ago.

"Um… I'm sorry, but I have an aversion to kissing in front of people," Delia lied weakly.

Brie must've have seen through it, because she opened her mouth to protest. But before the younger girl could say a word, Delia had a moment to realize that Zaid's body had suddenly blocked her view before his lips locked on hers.

Delia fought, but just like the last time, Zaid overpowered her. His kiss was hungry; his emotions raw and savage, as if he'd been holding himself back this past week. Delia sensed that what drove him was beyond simple lust. There was something behind Zaid's kiss that she couldn't fathom.

Until Delia felt Layla's presence within her stir. It took her a moment to understand.

Layla was weeping.

A single name escaped.

_Akhum_.

Delia had no time to feel shocked as she was swept into the kiss. Zaid angled his head as he thrust his tongue in her mouth, tasting her as Delia found herself against the wall, her palms flat against his chest.

The sound of the door opening in the background barely penetrated the pleasure fog in her brain. Delia opened her eyes lazily, but they flew wide open in shock and horror as she saw the last person she expected standing there, staring back at her with the same expression, except it was almost immediately replaced by cold murderous fury.

_Oh shit! What's he doing here?_

_

* * *

_**A/N: so here it is... on to the most exciting part of the story!**

**Review please!**

**till next time,**

**-Yohina**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Delia broke the kiss immediately.

"Seto…" she whispered, terrified. She'd never seen him so angry before, not even when she was pushing his limits when they first met. Now he looked absolutely murderous, but the worst thing was his unbreakable control over his emotions.

"So this is why you won't leave Egypt." Seto looked her straight in the eye, the accusation there only fueling her despair.

"It's not what it looks like." _Man, how do I explain this to him?_ Delia was so scared that she couldn't even form a coherent explanation in her mind. Though she had a pretty good explanation, she knew what it looked like, and all the excuses she came up with seemed feeble.

"There's no need to explain, Delia. I saw everything."

_No, you didn't,_ she wanted to say, but nothing came out. His tone was so cold and dismissive; much like when she'd first met him, but a lot worse. Worse because back then he didn't really care, but now he hated her. Delia could literally feel her heart breaking into little pieces. No doubt Seto must be feeling the same way.

"But…"

At that moment, Delia hated herself for the tears, for her inability to say the words. Why was she panicking now? Where was her voice?

"I see coming here wasn't such a mistake after all. I'll send you your things when I return to the US," Seto said coldly, already turning to leave.

_Just like that? Could it be over so quick and simple? No. No. It can't. _Delia wanted to scream, but a lump lodged in her throat. _Don't go! Don't leave me, Seto!_ The words were stuck in her throat, in her heart. She took a step forward, but Zaid stopped her.

"Thanks for coming. Delia was worried about how to break it to you," Zaid said casually, almost triumphantly, beside her.

Delia froze, shocked. _How could he say that? _Even now, with everything on the line, with her future happiness on the line, how could he still pretend? If she could find her voice or strength, she'd scream and beat him, one or the other, or both, but she didn't have either.

Seto halted in his movement and turned back slowly. "And who are you?"

"I think it's clear I'm Delia's new boyfriend." Zaid flashed a smug smile. "But if you really want to know, I'm Zaid Kontar. Nice to meet you."

"Zaid Kontar, huh?" Seto's eyes once again landed on her. He must be thinking about the time when she'd told him about Zaid on the phone. "Seto Kaiba. Can't say the same about you."

"No offense taken. I guess it's not every day that another guy steals _your _girlfriend."

Seto said nothing back, but his first clenched. "Good-bye, Delia," he said it with a soft nod as if it was just an everyday normal goodbye one says to another, but this was the end. When he left the room, he didn't even have the decency to slam the door shut. It only showed just how in control he was of his emotions. How Delia wished he'd lose that terrible calmness, even just for a second!

"Well, glad that's over." Zaid slumped down on the couch. "Your ex is a scary man, Delia."

_My ex?_ Is it really true then? Did that seriously just happen?

"Who is he?" Delia turned at the sound of Brie's voice. She'd forgotten that the girl was in the room. Now that she was no longer feeling as numb, her eyes focused on her. Deadly, while her mind went through several ways of murdering the girl. It was more Brie's fault than Zaid's. If she hadn't been here, if she hadn't asked to see them kiss, then nothing like this would've happened.

"You bitch!" Delia stalked toward Brie, who must've have seen the murderous look on her face, since she backed away from her.

"What did you say?" Even though she backed away, her spirit still hadn't faltered. She wouldn't run away when someone had just called her a bitch.

"Bitch." Delia repeated the word. She wasn't one for cursing others. In fact, she resented calling other people names, but this time, she was furious, and the fury masked the emptiness that was beginning to spread through her, so she'd take fury over despair any day.

_What am I doing? I should be chasing after Seto. Not picking a fight with this girl!_ Yet, Delia didn't. She needed someone to blame, but deep down, she knew she should blame no one but herself for acting the way she did. If only she'd been stronger, then she would've refused to help Zaid. She thought she was being helpful, but she had hurt Brie.

This must be her punishment.

Yet no matter what her logical mind told her, she buried it deep within, under the fury, under the despair. Now, she just need to do something, anything, to feel less helpless.

"Watch what you say! It's not my fault you lost your ex! In fact, I think you were the one who chose to be with Zaid!"

"Shut up!"

Fury bubbled inside her, waiting to explode out of her like lava inside a volcano. It only made her angrier that what she said was true. The despair she felt increased, until Delia realized that it was not only hers, but Layla's as well. She wept in sorrow, and she realized that the time to choose was near, nearer than any of them had thought.

If what she saw at the temple that first day was real, and she knew it was, then it was almost time for Seto to choose again. Yet this had to happen now. Knowing Seto, Delia was certain he would choose her as unworthy, especially if he didn't have the time to mule it over.

Pain vibrated through her cheek and then her head. Brie had slapped her. She now looked at her with hatred, but not fear. "You took Zaid from me, and you dare blame me for losing your ex? I'm not the bitch here. You are!"

Delia struck back. She didn't understand anything, but she was angry? A red haze clouded her vision as she fought her. A buzzing rang in her ears. She'd never felt so angry before. A small part of her knew it will pass and leave her as she was. Empty. Desperate. And dead inside, but as long as the anger lasted, she won't feel any of those things, so she gladly accepted the destructive emotion and fueled it on by fighting.

Until she felt someone grab her from behind.

"Delia! Stop it!" Zaid's rough voice penetrated through the buzzing in her ears. He had pulled her off of Brie. "Stop it! You're killing her!"

That shook her out of her trance. Delia blinked rapidly to make the red haze disappear and saw Brie choking. She instantly jumped back. Before she knew it, she had started bawling and didn't even notice hen Brie ran out of the room.

"Shh… It's okay."

Zaid hugged her. Delia shook her head stubbornly as she cried. _No, it won't. _"I'll explain it to him." Delia didn't move. The tears were just coming out too fast. "You didn't think I'd be that heartless, did you? I'll explain it to him tomorrow. You helped me. I'll just help you this time," Zaid promised.

"Thank you." Delia managed to squeeze out between sobs.

Zaid only held her tighter.

* * *

In the car, Seto reflected back on what he witnessed. He still couldn't quite believe it.

Delia cheated on him with Zaid, a man she'd barely know for a few weeks.

He'd never felt so angry, or so hurt in his life. This just showed that he was right in not caring about anyone else other than himself, but he never thought she'd do this. He just didn't understand it. How could she? After everything they'd gone through together?

Seto dared not to think about it further, afraid that the fury will take control of him and make him do something he'll regret later. He definitely felt like destroying something, or killing somebody. Anything to rid of this swirling anger within him and return to normal again.

_And I was so worried about her._ He laughed bitterly at his own foolishness. He realized that even if she did break it off, it would've been better if she'd called him, instead of him seeing it in person. At least, it wouldn't hurt this much.

And that man, Zaid Kontar, he dared to mock him and gloat. It was the first time someone had taken something that belonged to him, and Delia definitely belonged to him. Seto swore then and there that Zaid will pay.

"What happened?" Seto bellowed angrily when the car suddenly skidded to a stop.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba, but I think we hit someone on the road.

_Great, just what I need._ Sighing, Seto got out of the car. He seriously had no time for this. God must be against him today. First he loses Delia, now his stupid driver hits someone on the road. Hopefully the person wasn't hurt badly, so he can deal with this thing fast.

He stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of the girl with the pale blue hair lying on the ground, unconscious. Kisara, the name came to him instantly. Howe did he know that? He swore that he'd never met the girl before, but yet he did know her. As much as he despised those supernatural things, he knew that this wasn't a coincidence. She was here for a purpose.

"Sir, what should we do?" the driver asked. Nobody else was on the road, and he could tell that the driver just wanted to move the girl and leave.

Seto ignored him and crossed to Kisara. A quick glance told him that only her leg was slightly scraped and bleeding a little. Other than that, she was fine.

"Get back in the car. I'm taking her back to the hotel," Seto told the driver, picked up Kisara, and carried her back to the car.

Seto laid her down on the seat gently as the car begun to move. His thoughts temporarily left Delia's betrayal as they turned to Kisara. From his dreams, he knew that Delia had revived Kisara for him while he thought he'd used her powers to lock away and damn Kisara's soul in anger.

He tried to think of the reason that caused the rift between Layla and him, but a pounding headache came on. For some odd reason, he could never reach that part of the memory. It was hazy, and whenever he tried to think about him, his head began to hurt like hell.

At the hotel, Seto carried Kisara inside while the bellboy brought up his luggage. Kisara was light as a feather in his arms. Even though logically he didn't know here, he still felt a certain affection toward her. It certainly felt strange to feel affection for someone he'd never known in his life, but had probably loved dearly thousands of years ago.

Once in his suite, Seto laid Kisara down gently on the bed and ordered dinner for two. The sun had just gone down and darkness was setting in. While he waited for the food to come, he called Saki, his secretary, and told her the telephone number of the room just in case she needed to find him and his cellphone didn't work. Then, he found the first aid kit in a drawer and went back to the bedroom.

Seto still couldn't make himself to fully believe all this past life nonsense even as it was happening all around him. He prayed that it will be over soon so that his life could return to normal, meaning no more strange dreams about something that had happened lifetimes ago, and no—

His heart gave a painful lurch and his stomach knotted together when he imagined going back to a life without Delia. It hurt so much that he had to stop what he was doing and breathe deeply until it passed.

_I have to get over it. She's picked someone else._ He replayed the event earlier in his head with bitterness and anger. Just what did he do wrong? He'd given her all of himself, the best of himself, but she still chose another.

Carefully, Seto pushed up Kisara's skirt to expose her injured leg. It had already stopped bleeding, but he still saw a little bit of red on the white bed sheets. He dampened a towel in the bathroom and cleaned the cut. It wasn't that back that she had to go to a hospital, which he was glad for. Then, he took out the disinfectant in the kit and sprayed it. Afterwards, he finished it by wrapping the gauze around the wound.

When dinner came, he instructed the waiter to serve it on the balcony, where a small dining table and two chairs were. Sitting down and looking over the night view of the city, all he could think about was Delia. He kept telling himself to get over it, but how could he when she had meant the world to him?

Today, he realized he'd ended things too quickly because he hadn't trusted himself to stay there, watching her with Zaid. Maybe he should've given her more time to explain? _What am I thinking? I'm just giving her a chance for more excuses. God knows how many of those I've heard before._

When his cellphone rang, he took a quick look, saw it was Delia, and hang up. It rang again, but he didn't pick it up. Instead, he turned it off. It hurt to think about her, and he didn't trust himself to speak to her at the moment. He could still say something he might regret, just for the chance to hurt her more than she'd hurt him.

Seto was given a reprieve for maybe fifteen minutes, then the phone in his hotel room rang. He picked it up again and wasn't surprised at all to hear Delia's voice.

"What do you want?" he snapped.

"Seto, what you saw today…" Delia begun hesitantly. "It isn't what you think." Delia sounded so forlorn, like a lost and scared child. His heart instantly went out to her. He recalled the mess she was in when she regained her childhood memories and thought she sounded much like she did those few days. Scared and lost. Yet, when he saw her with said, all his sympathy left him to be replaced with anger and coldness.

"I know what I saw." He hated how he had to force himself to sound angry at her.

"Please, Seto," Delia begged. "Give me a chance to explain."

"Fine." Seto rolled his eyes. "Go ahead."

"Actually, can you come to the site tomorrow around noon? I'll be waiting."

"Why can't you just explain it over the phone?"

"Please, I want to speak to you face to face."

"I'll think about it." Seto didn't really want to return to that place again. Then, before she could say anything else, because he knew he'd give in if he hear her sad voice anymore, he said, "Good night, Delia."

* * *

Delia stayed behind when everyone had left. No one could persuade her to leave, not even Zaid, who wouldn't leave her alone, but she somehow managed to convince him that she would be safe. Besides, there were guards at the site at night, so she wouldn't literally be alone in the middle of the desert, although she felt that way.

After eating some pizza she'd warmed up in the microwave, only because Zaid made her promise she'd eat before leaving, Delia stared at the phone. She needed to call Seto, to explain. Perhaps he'd be calm by now. Maybe Zaid had promised to explain, but she would feel better if she talked to him first.

Delia dialed his cellphone, hoping that it would work. Amazingly, it went through, but after three rings, it got cut off. She had no doubt that Seto probably hung up on her without answering, but just in case it was a glitch, she tried again, to no avail. Seto definitely didn't want to talk to her.

She called several more times, except now she only got his voicemail. Great. _Guess he's still pretty mad._ Of course he is. What was her thinking? It's only been what? Like four hours since Seto caught her cheating on him?

Finally, when she thought of giving up, she instead called his secretary. Saki answered the phone on the first ring and then told her where Seto was staying and his number so she could get in contact with him.

She called again, this time using his hotel room's number. Seto picked up on the second ring. This time, instead of hanging up like she had expected, he snapped, "What do you want?"

Delia's heart jumped at the tone. Yet, she forced herself to talk. Her heart felt like it was going to burst through her chest, but somehow she found the strength to plead with him.

By the time it was over, Delia had to sit down and catch her breath. The tears threatened again, but she bit them back. She couldn't cry. If she started she wouldn't be able to stop.

To distract herself, she called Japan, to Hara, and her parents. She didn't understand why, and her body almost moved by itself as she dialed the number. She probably shouldn't do this now, but if she was having a crisis, why not have them all at the same time instead of just one at a time? That way, she could get the heartache over all at once.

On one hand, she had no idea if she was doing the right thing, but she had to tell them. They deserved to know if what she suspected was true. However, the answering machine picked up after several rings.

Delia hesitated a little, but actually found herself grateful that she didn't have to talk to her parents, or Hara, for that matter. Finally, she said, "Mom, Dad, I think I found Tony."

After hanging up, Delia was at a loss for what to do. She wanted to go to the temple, maybe she'll find more answers, but something pulled her away from it, so instead of going there, she wandered to its left, in the direction of the parking lot. There was something there. Something that was very important to Layla, or else, she wouldn't feel so compelled to go this way, but before she could get there, everything around her changed.

The air cooled down considerably around her as a breeze passed. Delia smelled flowers and heard water trickling near her. She was no longer standing in the middle of nowhere, but in a garden. She watched life go around her in contentment. _This place is so peaceful._ Much like when she was in the temple, the thought was no hers. Delia instantly knew she was back inside Layla and sharing her thoughts and memories from the past.

_Layla sat down beside the little river and dipped her feet in the water. The coolness of the river felt good against her skin after a long hot day. She closed her eyes and hummed to herself. It wasn't as bad as she had thought coming to Egypt. Dalila was happy, and the pharaoh wasn't such a bad man. Besides, she didn't have to worry about intruders in the palace every night now that she was in Egypt._

_ A soft sound made her open her eyes. She stared into a pair of starting blue eyes and felt herself falling forward. Surprised, Layla shook her head gently and took another look at the one who was staring at her so intently._

_ She'd seen him before. _Seto, no, Priest Seto. That's what they call him_. He was pretty good looking too. He looked to be about the same age as her and Dalila, but he was already a priest. As he walked toward her, she felt her heart picking up pace and beating rapidly, leaving her almost breathless, which was stupid. She wasn't even human anymore. Why must she still have such human reactions and emotions?_

_ "Good evening, princess," he said with a slight bow._

_ Layla smiled, hoping she would sound normal instead of as nervous as she felt. "Good evening, Priest Seto, but I'm not the princess. I'm Layla, her Protector."_

_ Surprise flickered in those mesmerizing eyes for barely a second before it disappeared. "You were not there this morning," he said it almost accusingly._

_ "No, nor did I see any other Protectors there. I was taught that it was rude to be present where I am not needed or wanted."_

_ That stumped him, but he was quick to recover. "Why are you not beside the princess? She could be in danger even as we speak."_

_ "The princess is resting after a long day. I think it is relatively safe to say she'll be protected. I am barely enjoying myself."_

_ Priest Seto relaxed, which caused her to do the same. Layla didn't understand the effect this man was having on her. Just one look from him, and she felt breathless and hot. She kept reminding herself that she was a Protector, a monster. No matter how attractive he might be, or how human she felt, nothing could ever happen between them._

_ "Enjoy?" Priest Seto arched a perfect brow. "It is not something a Protect says every day."_

_ Layla stood up and got out of the water to stand face to face with him. He was tall, she realized. "Yes, well, I am a special case. You do not find Protectors looking the same as their masters as well, but it does make the protecting job a lot easier."_

_ A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He looked even more handsome smiling. Other than Akhum, she'd never met another man that appealed to her so much. It wasn't the first time she'd regretted her death, but there was nothing to be done with that. If she couldn't be with Akhum, she couldn't be with this priest either. Besides, he probably wasn't attracted to her anyway, since she was a monster despite her human appearance._

_ "I'm sure it does," he said. "Care to walk with me?"_

_ His offer surprised her. Layla knew she should refuse him, but a part of her, the part that was still human, wanted this. "If you do not mind," she said, putting her shoes back on. She didn't need them necessarily, but it would look weird walking in the palace barefoot._

_ They took a stroll in the garden, going so far as to the palace walls, where he led her up the stairs to the battlement. As she walked beside him, she felt a happiness she'd never felt since she died, not even when she returned to this world in this form. It confused her. He was only a man, like the many others she'd met throughout her short life, but after meeting him for such a short time, she realized he was different than the others, for none had ever affected her in the way he did in such a short time._

Delia stood there in stunned silence. She'd just witnessed Layla's first real meeting with Seto. It was such a sweet memory in her mind. The details were vivid, and she felt Layla's growing affection and attraction for Seto just in that short amount of time.

But why did Layla show her this piece of memory. It made no sense. What she really wanted to know was the reason behind the rift between Layla and Seto in the end.

An urge drove Delia forward further, while her mind mused on these matters. She didn't hear the crack until it was too late. The ground gave out under her before she even had the chance to scream. It felt that she was only falling for a second before she hit the ground, but the damage was done. She heard the sickening crack of her bones breaking. The pain was so much that it took over her body so that she couldn't feel anything else.

Had she made a sound? Did anyone hear her fall? Delia wondered wildly. She couldn't find the strength the move.

"Help…" The word came out weakly. She felt the darkness coming and knew she was losing consciousness fast, but she didn't want to go. This was normal, this darkness that was blocking her senses. There was something sinister about the darkness that surrounded her. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to lose consciousness.

_Seto._ She wanted to see him. It was hard to conjure up an image of him. The darkness was blocking that out as well.

_Seto!_

_

* * *

_**A/N: Nothing much going on. I'm busy with school, but I meant to update this earlier, like Friday, but just kinda forgot until now. Till next time.**

**Reviews are appreciated!**

**~Yohina**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

_Delia!_

Seto bolted up in bed. It seemed he'd been doing a lot of that lately. Mostly because of nightmares he'd had about Delia, but this one was different. It wasn't a nightmare. It wasn't even a dream. It was just a feeling. A dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't ignore.

He knew with a-hundred-percent certainty that something had happened to Delia.

Scrambling off the sofa, he picked up his phone and called Delia's hotel, only to be told that Delia hadn't returned for the day. Damn it, could she be with Zaid? No, he didn't want to think about that, but… where would she go?

She was definitely with Zaid.

If that was the case, she should be fine. Though he hated Zaid with a passion, he doubted Zaid would let any harm come to Delia.

Yet, Seto couldn't shake off that awful feeling. Instead of returning to bed, he checked in on Kisara, who was sleeping soundly on the massive four-poster bed. He wondered if she'll ever wake, since she hadn't so much as made a sound since he'd picked her up from the street.

Just then, his phone rang. Seto didn't recognize the number, but answered nonetheless, "Hello, Seto Kaiba speaking."

"Kaiba—"

Seto froze, recognizing the voice. There was no doubt about it. It was Zaid. How did he get his number?

"What do you want?" Seto cut him off coldly.

"Delia's hurt." Zaid got straight to the point. Seto felt his heart stop. His hand clenched the phone tighter.

"What do you mean? Is she OK?" No matter how much he might despise her for betraying him, he couldn't help but worry about her.

"I don't know. I'm heading to the hospital." Then Zaid told Seto the address. "I'll meet you there."

Before Seto could say anything, Zaid hung up. Seto took one last look at the girl sleeping in the bed before rushing out while calling his chauffeur. The hour between the time he got Zaid's call and when he arrived at the hospital was probably the longest one of his life.

When he arrived at hospital, it took him a minute to make himself understood. The nurse sent him to the hallway next to the operating room. Zaid was already there, pacing, his long strides eating up the space.

When Zaid saw Seto, his eyes narrowed. "I didn't think you'd come."

"If not, why did you call me?" Seto bit back.

"I just thought you would like to know," Zaid said with a shrug.

"So how is she?" Seto was surprised at how calm he sounded, when his well-being seemed to depend on Zaid's next words. The entire time he was thinking he shouldn't have left her there. So what if she'd picked Zaid? He should've forcefully dragged her off with him so that he could change her mind.

Zaid scrubbed a hand down his face. "I don't know."

"What happened?" A pause. "Was she with you?"

Their eyes met, hard marble brown versus cold blue. "No," Zaid finally said. "She wanted to stay at the site, so I let her." Zaid's shoulder slumped, like a man defeated.

"What happened?" Seto didn't know how he was rational enough to ask these questions, but he had to distract himself. Otherwise he'd rush into the operating room just to see if Delia was alive.

"She fell." The words were uttered with bitterness. "There are tunnels under the site. I knew about that, yet I left her alone." When Zaid looked up again, Seto was shocked to see that the hardness in his eyes had been replaced by something akin to anguish. "It's my fault." Zaid started pacing again. "I shouldn't have left her alone. As soon as you stormed out, I should've kept her under guard, just in case…"

"Just in case?" Seto asked when Zaid trailed off.

Zaid sank down in one of the seats by the wall with a defeated sigh. "After you left, I promised Delia I'd tell you the truth."

"The truth?" Seto's brows drew together.

"Yes." Zaid said at length. Sighing, he continued, "Delia didn't really betray you. Sure, she kissed me, but that's only because I begged her to pretend to be my girlfriend so that Brie will give up on me. So you see, she still loves you."

Seto wasn't sure just how many more of these shocks he could take, especially in one day. So he'd completely misunderstood the situation. Oh God, the way he'd treated Delia. That look on her face.

He'll never forgive himself.

Now… now he might not even get the chance to apologize.

_No, she's going to be fine_, he told himself. Delia was strong. A fall wouldn't do anything. The worst she'll get was probably a broken leg. He could almost see Delia laughing it off and grumbling when he tried to help her.

He almost smiled, until Zaid's voice brought him back. "But I intend to have her."

Seto narrowed his eyes. Zaid was back, the despair and sadness of earlier had disappeared. "I will have her back."

"Have her back? You've never had her in the first place." Seto felt the first flare of his temper.

"No, she was mine to begin with!" Zaid hissed vehemently. "I will have her back. You've already destroyed her once. I won't let that happen again."

Seto froze. While a part of him understood Zaid's meaning, the rational and practical part of him refused to believe it. No way. He didn't believe in reincarnations, in past lives, or any of those hocus-pocus.

"What do you mean?"

Zaid began to explain, but stopped as if thinking better of it. "You'll find out soon enough," he grumbled, then planted himself in a chair.

Seto realized he would get nothing more out of Zaid, so he sunk down and waited. He kept replaying the scene from yesterday in his head. If only he'd allowed her to explain… If he had dragged her away with him and damned the consequences… If only he hadn't left her heartbroken…

Yet, there was nothing he could do to change the past. Seto swore that he'll never let Delia out of his sight again, no matter what. If she wants to stay in Egypt, he'll stay with her. Just as long as he's with her, he didn't care what he had to do.

An eternity passed before the doors to the operating room opened. Both Seto and Zaid shot up to their feet as a doctor walked out. Zaid asked the doctor something in Arabic, which the doctor answered. Seto hated that he couldn't understand what they were saying and that he had to ask Zaid to translate.

"They're going to put her under observation for another twelve hours. After that, they'll know for sure," Zaid told Seto.

"Can we see her?"

Zaid turned to ask the doctor, who looked at the two of them for a second before nodding. They waited for a few more minutes before a nurse came to lead them down the hallway to another room. Seto's heart was literally in his throat as he saw Delia through the glass. They couldn't get any closer. How he wished he could set next to her, hold her hand, as if he could give her more strength to fight.

Seto glanced at Zaid, who was peering through the glass with a tortured expression. The man looked as if his heart had been torn out, much as Seto he himself was feeling.

Seto couldn't help but wonder at Zaid's earlier words. What did he mean? That Delia had been his once? As far as Seto knew, Delia had never met Zaid before coming to Egypt, so when would Zaid ever know about Delia? It made absolutely no sense, unless... No, Seto shook his head. It just couldn't be.

Then again, none of it mattered, because he wouldn't allow anyone to take Delia away from him.

"I have to go call Marik and her parents," Zaid said after a few minutes. "I'll be right back."

Seto made no reply, although he wanted to say that Delia probably didn't want her parents to know. All he wanted was for her to open her eyes, and maybe smile. He missed her smile. God damn it, he missed her. Period.

She was his world, his life, Seto realized in that instant. He had seen it coming, slowly, over the months they'd spent together, but he'd never dared to admit it to himself just how much she had come to mean to him.

Everything. She meant everything to him.

_So please, please, wake up,_ Seto begged in his head. _Just wake up._

"She's not going to wake up."

Seto's head jerked to the sound of that sweet voice and froze when he saw who had spoken.

Kisara.

She was standing a few feet to his right, her blue hair falling to her waist, her expression sad.

"How… how did you get in here?" Seto asked. He hadn't heard anyone come in at all. He couldn't have been that lose to his thoughts, could he?

She shook her head, her hair flying everywhere. "It doesn't matter," she muttered in that same sweet voice. "She's not going to wake up."

"How do you know?" Seto asked. He should be suspicious of this girl, who'd appeared out of nowhere, literally, but he wasn't. All that mattered was Delia.

"Because it's time," Kisara said, her voice full of sadness. "She is trapped. You're the only one who can release her. From the curse."

Curse. Seto felt chilled to the bone. He recalled that dream, the one where he'd banished Delia's soul. It couldn't be. It wasn't real. Nothing was real. There was no such thing as a past life.

But… but then how did he know Kisara? Why did he trust her? How did she get here? And Zaid? Could Zaid be part of that past as well?

"Do you want to save her, Priest Seto?" Kisara asked, her expression never changing.

"Yes," Seto answered without a second thought. There was no question of it. No matter what, he was going to save Delia.

"Good." Kisara gave him a sad smile. "I can only send you to her. The rest is up to you. Good luck."

Seto didn't get a chance to ask what she meant by that before everything around him disappeared, leaving him in utter darkness.

* * *

When the darkness received, Delia found herself in a garden. The same one she'd witnessed the last time, when Layla and Seto had their first meeting.

_ "You're not at court." _

Delia felt herself turn at the voice. Shock stilled her as she saw Seto in ancient Egyptian clothes. Was she witnessing another one of Layla's memories? Yes, that must be it. She felt herself turn, felt the forced smile and knew that there was nothing she could do except to watch.

_ "No," Layla answered. "But what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at court as well?"_

_ "It's over. Queen Dalila wants to spend some time with Prince Akhum without a retinue following them everywhere." _

_ Seto sat down on the bench next to her. In the past few months, this courtyard had somehow become their little haven. Whenever they were both done with their duties for the day, they'd meet here and just talk. Seto told her about his kingdom while she spoke of her childhood. Layla enjoyed his company, and he always treated her as if she was a person, not just a Protector. _

_ Yet, they always avoided the topic of her transformation. Layla could tell that Seto was curious about it, being a High Priest, but he never straight out asked her any questions. Whenever their conversation strayed too close to it, Layla would subtly change the subject. Seto never pushed her, which she was thankful for. The thing was, even if they did talk about it, there was little she could tell him. After all, she wasn't the one who performed the magic. She was only the recipient. _

_ "Do you want to talk about it?" Seto asked after a few seconds of silence._

_ Layla blinked, not understanding, until he said, "About why you avoided court today. I heard you were betrothed to Prince Akhum, before what happened."_

_ Layla scanned his face. Behind Seto's calm exterior, she sensed his curiosity._

_ There was another thing they never talked about – their relationship and growing feelings for each other. At least Layla knew she felt something for the priest, as insubstantial as that feeling was. As for Seto, he never mentioned it, but she saw the way he sometimes watched her, studied her when he thought she was distracted. _

_ She didn't think he realized himself just how intense those looks were, or that no matter how hard he tried to hide his feelings, they shown through in the little details, like how sometimes he reached out to brush her hair only to pull back at the last minute._

_ "Yes," Layla said slowly, "I was betrothed to Akhum." _

_ Even now, two years later, speaking of Akhum brought nothing but unbearable pain. Yet, she forced herself to continue, knowing that she needed to talk about this with someone eventually. It just turned out that Seto had become her closest friend since she left her country to come here as Dalila's Protector._

_ Organizing her thoughts, she slowly began, "Our two countries had a very long standing alliance. Because of this, Dalila and I were fostered at King Medsses' court as children. There, we grew up with Akhum and made all sorts of troubles together." The thought of that brought a smile to Layla's lips. _

_ "Akhum and I were betrothed when I turned thirteen. We would've married the next year, but then, I caught the fever." _

_ That was an extremely abbreviated version of what had happened, but Seto didn't need to know the rest. Like how Akhum had refused to even see her after her resurrection. How he'd married another as soon as possible. Not that Layla had held any hopes for their future. She very well knew what she was, but she hadn't expected his total rejection of her existence. _

_ "He hurt you," Seto said, a statement, not a question. _

_ Had she been that obvious? Well, one day she'll learn to hide her emotions as well as Seto. Then she saw his fist clench and sighed inwardly. Yes, he definitely cared for her deeply, but where would their relationship end up?_

_ "I don't blame him. He couldn't accept what I am. Not very many people can, or should. What Father did is taboo." _

_ "But it's not your fault." Seto's words surprised her. "You did not ask to be revived, nor did you want to become a Protector. You had no control over any of these things. He should not have taken out his anger on you."_

_ Layla smiled as warmth spread through her. "You're sweet, Seto, but that's all in the past. Akhum and I are—"_

_ "Layla?" _

_ Layla froze. There was only one person who spoke her name in that deep and rumbling voice. She was just about to say that things were over between Akhum and her, but it seemed she was wrong. Slowly, dazed, she stood up and turned._

_ There he was. Dark hair waving in the wind, his dark eyes seemed to bore straight to her soul. He hadn't really changed, maybe gotten a bit taller, his body more filled out, but he was still the Akhum she remembered. If she could, Layla would've fainted. Instead, she swayed on her feet. Seeing Akhum again brought back all the tortured memories of the past, brought back the razor sharp pain she'd experienced when he'd refused to see her, and all the feelings she'd buried deep within her for the last two years._

Deep within Layla, Delia gasped. Zaid? She couldn't believe it, despite the difference in coloring, it was definitely Zaid standing before her. Now everything made sense! The way Zaid felt about her, because he was part of the past too.

_ Akhum took two hesitant steps in her direction. When Layla didn't move, rooted to the spot, he strode forward until he was right in front of her. Layla looked up. He'd always been tall, now he was even taller than before. _

_ Layla noticed absently that Seto left her side reluctantly and followed Dalila out of the courtyard, leaving her and Akhum by themselves. _

_ She could feel Akhum's eyes on her, studying her. He reached out to touch her and winced when his hand passed through her. She knew that he saw her solid form because of his spiritual power, but he should've known he couldn't touch her. His wince hurt. Did he just come here to tell her that she was an abomination?_

_ "What are you doing here?" Layla asked finally, breaking the silence. _

_ His expression tortured, Akhum replied, "I wanted to see you."_

_ Layla forced herself to steel her face, although she felt anything but calm. "Well, you've seen me. Satisfied? Then please leave." _

_ "Layla, I'm sorry."_

_ Layla wanted to rail at him, to tell him that a simple sorry wasn't enough, but one look at him stopped her short. No matter what had happened, she still couldn't get mad at him. What was wrong with her? He'd abandoned her, rejected her completely, yet she didn't even have the strength to be mad at him._

_ Afraid that she might break down and cry, Layla asked about the one thing that'll remind her that there would never be a future between her and Akhum. Taking a breath, she asked, "Where's your wife?" _

_ Akhum looked taken back. He hesitated for a moment before answering softly, "She decided to stay behind."_

_ "What? Because she didn't want to meet me?" Usually, Akhum's wife wouldn't even know about Layla's existence, but Layla's resurrection was a scandal beyond proportions, there was no one who did not know about her, or her relationship with Akhum._

_ "No." Hesitation again. "She's pregnant."_

_ "Oh." _

_ Layla wasn't sure how she felt about that. Akhum was the heir to his kingdom, so of course he'd need another heir as soon as possible. She'd also heard that King Medsses' hadn't been well in the last few months. Everyone was just waiting for Akhum to become king. _

_ "Congratulations?" she ventured, feeling lame that was all she could say to him. She should be his queen, the one to carry his children, but here she was, nothing but a monster. _

_ "Damn it!" Layla took a step back, shocked by his sudden outburst. If he could, he would've grabbed her shoulders and shaken her. "Don't congratulate me!"_

_ Cocking her head to the side, she asked, "What am I suppose to say?" _

_ He looked at her long and hard. "Are you not mad at me? For what I did?"_

_ "I was, but…" How does she explain this? She loved Akhum, knew she would've been happy with him, but when she'd died, everything had changed. There was no point clinging to the past. "You made the right choice, to ignore me. It is impossible between us. If you'd tried to accept me, you risk alienating everyone in your court and losing your crown. I don't want that for you."_

_ He hissed a breath before sitting down. "You're always too understanding, Layla. Why can't you just hate me like a normal person?"_

_ Layla's heart ached at the anguished look on his face. She wanted to stroke his hair, to tell him that everything will be fine. _

_ "It's because I still love you, Akhum." He tensed visibly, but she continued, "I can't hate you for doing something that makes you happy." _

_ "Then come with me."_

_ He caught her gaze, and Layla began to lose herself in those eyes that she loved so much. With effort, she shook her head adamantly, more to remind herself than him that what he asked was impossible. "I can't. What would everyone at court think? What would your wife think?"_

_ Akhum said nothing, but his lips set in a mulish line. She knew better than anyone that Akhum hated his responsibilities. He was never meant to be the heir, but his older brother had perished in that same outbreak of fever that had taken Layla's life, leaving him the sole heir to the throne. _

_ Layla was glad that he didn't press on, for she was certain that she couldn't resist him if he had persisted in his efforts to convince her to leave with him. _

_ She stepped back and put some distance between their bodies. Even though she was insubstantial, she still felt uncomfortable standing so close to him. "You should leave now, Akhum," Layla said at length._

_ He looked at her longingly before standing up. He raised a hand to trace her cheeks. Layla would have given anything to feel his touch again. "I miss you, Layla."_

_ It took all of her strength to step back, away from him. Looking at him in the eye, she said with as much conviction as she could convey, "It's over, Akhum. I'm sorry, but you should leave."_

_ He sighed, looking years older than his seventeen years. "I will never see you again, will I?"_

_ Layla shook her head. "It is best we do not meet."_

_ "Then good-bye, Layla." Again, that insubstantial touch. "At least this time I can say good-bye to you." _

_ She didn't mean to, but Layla couldn't help the tears. Before he could do anything, she turned away, not wanting to prolong this moment. When the fever had broken over the city, Akhum had been whisked away. His father had to make sure he didn't catch it, because his brother had already caught it. She'd never got to see him at the end, and it had always been her biggest regret._

_ "Goodbye, Akhum," she whispered._

_ He said nothing. Seconds later, she heard him quietly walk away. It was only when she could no longer hear him that she broke down and cried._

_

* * *

_

**A/N: I'm sorry for taking so long. I meant to update before Thanksgiving, but kept forgetting about it for the past few days. Anyhow, Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone in the US. I had a very relaxing weekend, though I didn't get to go home. $500 plane tickets just isn't worth it when I'll be home in a month. But hope everyone enjoyed some good food and saved tons of money on shopping.**

**As for the story, The reason I took so long was also because I've been having a kind of writer's block, so it's been hard to write. What I can tell you is that expect more flashbacks, because I really want to write about their past. We'll see where I go from there.**

**Remember to REVIEW.**

**Best,**

**Yohina**


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